Employee Manual 2023 - Flipbook - Page 65
No employee shall permit any unauthorized person to gain access to the City's IT system. No
employee shall furnish any information to any unauthorized person about the hardware or the
software used by the City, nor the method of accessing the City's IT system, without the expressed
written authorization of the IT Director. Employees must log out of their computers when finished
for the day or when leaving their work area for an extended period of time.
E-mail:
E-mail is provided for City business purposes only. Employees are authorized to retrieve and read
only e-mail messages specifically addressed or directed to them. Employees shall not use E-mail to
conduct their personal business affairs. E-mail solicitation, advertising or proselytizing is prohibited.
The content of e-mail messages must not be objectionable. Creating, transmitting (uploading),
copying or receiving (downloading) messages containing obscenity, profanity, vulgarity, sexual
content or innuendo, racial or ethnic slurs, gender-specific comments, or any deprecatory
statements concerning age, gender identity, sexual orientation, religious or political beliefs,
national origin, physical characteristics, disabilities or other protected characteristics are
prohibited.
All electronic mail messages are the property of the City and the employees should have no
expectation of privacy. Electronic mail messages created or received on the City’s IT System may be
considered official records of the City and retained as documentation of official policies, actions,
decisions or transactions. E-mail communications are considered public records and are subject to
requests under the Freedom of Information Act.
As a matter of policy, the City will not routinely monitor electronic mail messages. However, the
City reserves the right to access messages for reasons including, but not limited to the following:
• Upon leaving employment with the City for any reason, a user’s e-mail may be accessed for
the purpose of saving those messages that pertain to City business;
• If required by law to do so;
• When necessary to investigate a possible violation of City policy;
• In the event that there is reasonable suspicion that a user has violated any of the prohibited
uses in this policy.
E-mail accounts are backed-up on a regular basis as part of the network operations. Deletion of email messages does not remove the message from the City’s IT system.
Transmitting, copying or asking to receive copyrighted or trademarked materials, trade secrets, or
proprietary information without prior authorization is prohibited.
Internet:
internet access is intended to support the employee's ability to perform their job-related duties.
This policy applies to use of the internet utilizing the City authorized user ID thereby covering the
employees' representation of the City.
City of Plymouth Employee manual - Page 65 – March 2023
