I work in the securities industry, so there's nothing private about our email - LOL. It's all monitored by law and we cannot get/send personal emails.

I think I have to sign this - I just don't understand the motivation behind it. I don't buy the reason I was given "in case something happens to you we need to get into your email". Nor do I understand why I am the only person being asked to sign it, why it was presented in the manner it was (as I was walking out the door and couldn't focus on it) nor the timing of it.

A small part of me thinks this is somehow a set up, since Corporate Compliance said letting someone else (another employee) into your email is not allowed.

But.... my understanding is if I don't sign it, it "could" be construed as "misconduct" which disqualifies being able to collect unemployment if they were to let me go (which I think is their plan), which would be a financial disaster for my family.