(A) Purpose/background. The purpose of county-provided information technology (IT) resources (e.g., e-mail, electronic voice and video communication, facsimile, the Internet and future technologies) is to support county departments in achieving their mission and goals, and to improve county government in general. These resources are intended to assist in the efficient and effective day-to-day operations of county departments, including collaboration and exchange of information within and between county departments and other branches of government and others.
(B) Policy.
(1) Effective use of county-provided IT resources are important to the county.
(a) The use of county-provided IT resources are related to, or for the benefit of, county government. County-provided IT resources are to be used productively. Disruptions to county government activities, because of inappropriate use of county-provided IT resources, are to be avoided.
(b) Incidental and occasional personal use is permitted, as long as such use does not interfere with existing rules or policies pertaining to the department, disrupt or distract the conduct of county business (e.g., due to volume or frequency), involve solicitation, have potential to harm the county or involve illegal activities
(2) All county-supplied technology, including computer systems and company-related work records, belong to the county and not the employee. The county routinely monitors usage patterns for its e-mail and Internet communications. Although encouraged to explore the vast resources available on the Internet, employees should use discretion in the sites that are accessed. Since all the computer systems and software, as well as the e-mail and Internet connection, are county-owned, all county policies related to such property are in effect at all times. Any employee who abuses the privilege of county-facilitated access to e-mail or the Internet, may be denied access to the Internet and, if appropriate, be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination. At no time should the employees of the county assume privacy of computer usage, e-mail or call records. Employees have no right to keep contents of e-mail and files private. With regard to privacy issues and legal implications, the county has the right to access and disclose the contents of electronic files, as required for legal, audit or legitimate county operational or management purposes.
(3) The county will review complaints or instances of unacceptable use brought to its attention. Violators are subject to corrective action and perhaps discipline, and may also be prosecuted under state and federal statutes.
(4) When using county-provided IT resources the employee or volunteer is a representative of county government at all times. At a minimum, this means that IT resources will not be used to:
(a) Distribute offensive or harassing statements, disparage other based on race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability or political or religious beliefs;
(b) Distribute incendiary statements which might incite violence or describe or promote the use of weapons or devices associated with terrorist activities; and/or
(c) Distribute or solicit sexually-oriented messages or images.
(5) E-mail consists not only of county-provided e-mail system, but also the act of sending and receiving e-mail through the Internet.
(6) Any use of county-provided IT resources for inappropriate purposes or in support of such activities is prohibited (unless authorized through job responsibilities).
(7) Unacceptable use of information technology resources includes, but is not limited to:
(a) Any use of county-provided IT resources for illegal purposes, or in support of such activities. Illegal activities shall be defined as any violation of local, state or federal laws;
(b) Any sexually explicit use, whether visual or textual, such as viewing, transmitting, retrieving, saving or printing an electronic file which may be deemed sexually explicit. Sexually explicit files are not solely defined as pornographic but simply sexually explicit;
(c) Any use for political lobbying, such as using e-mail to circulate solicitations or advertisements;
(d) Duplicating, transmitting or using software not in compliance with software license agreements;
(e) Unauthorized use of the copyrighted materials or another person’s original writings;
(f) Accessing accounts within or outside the county’s computers and communications facilities for which an employee is not authorized or does not have a business need;
(g) Knowingly or inadvertently spreading computer viruses;
(h) Violating the privacy of individual users by reading e-mail or private communications unless you are specifically authorized to maintain and support the system;
(i) Distributing “junk” mail (e.g., spam, chain letters, advertisements or unauthorized solicitations); and/or
(j) Transmitting classified information under the Governmental Records Access and Management Act (GRAMA) without proper security.
(Ord. passed 6- -2019)