(A) Employees of the city have a right to have personal social media sites. If an employee mentions, discusses or references the City of Morehead, then the employee must also state that the post is the view of the employee alone and does not represent the views of the city or the city’s elected officials.
(B) General rules.
(1) Employees may comment on issues of general or public concern (as opposed to personal grievances) unrelated to their official duties, so long as the comments do not disrupt the workplace, interfere with important working relationship or efficient work flow, or undermine public confidence in the city and employees. Examples of personal grievances include, but are not limited to: disciplinary action, work schedule, morale, complaints about supervisors or co-workers that do involve actual wrongdoing, and the like. Employees who are commenting on an issue of public concern unrelated to their official duties are asked to use a disclaimer making it clear that the comments and opinions are their own and do not represent the city or the city’s position or opinions.
(2) All employees shall treat as confidential the official business of each city department. Employees are prohibited from posting any confidential, sensitive or copyrighted information to which the employee may have access due to their employment with the city. Employees are prohibited from posting data from an ongoing criminal, administrative or accident investigation including photographs, videos, or audio records.
(3) Employees are prohibited from posting, transmitting and/or disseminating any copyrighted material, city logo, or city proprietary information, any drawings, pictures or videos of official department training, activities (social or work related), or work related assignments without the express permission of the Mayor or his or her designee. The incidental display in a posting of the city logo on an employee’s clothing, such as shirts or T-shirts, shall not be prohibited so long as the posting depicts the employee and the city in a positive manner.
(4) Employees are prohibited from making harassing, defamatory, abusive, threatening or racially discriminatory, sexually discriminatory or other discriminatory comments about employees of the city, customers, or those participating in city sponsored activities or events that might cause a hostile work environment.
(5) If you appear in uniform, wear and/or display logos, you have created a link between your online contents and your employment.
(6) Your posted content has the potential to be shared broadly, including with individuals with whom you did not intend to communicate. For example, opposing counsel may subpoena your posts if they are relevant to a lawsuit related to your official duties. Counsel may also use your posts to impugn your reputation or show bias.
(7) To ensure the safety and security of employees of the city, employees shall not transmit or disseminate information regarding any other member of the city including, but not limited to, names, telephone numbers, addresses, photographs, or other potentially identifying information without first receiving permission from the individual, unless the employee is addressing an issue of public concern and the employee’s speech falls under applicable constitutional protections pertaining to the same.
(8) No employee shall represent in any public forum as an employee of the city with other information, opinion or posture that would substantially and materially interfere with an employee’s ability to fulfill his/her official responsibility.
(9) Employees may not use city email to register for or respond to social networking sites.
(10) Misuse of electronic media will be grounds for disciplinary action, leading up to and including termination.
(Ord. 02:2014, passed 2-10-14)