COMPUTER USAGE POLICY

Holmes SWCD reserves the right and intends to exercise the right to monitor, review, audit, intercept, access and disclose all electronic communications received or sent over the internet or the e-mail system for any purpose. Violators of any part of this policy may be subject to discipline up to and including termination. Internet and e-mail messages are considered public communications. All such communications including text and images may be disclosed to law enforcement or other third parties without prior consent of the sender or receiver.

E-mail and internet services are to be used for work related purposes only. Any of the following are strictly prohibited:
Uses that interfere with normal business activities involving solicitations or are in connection with a business activity that operates for profit.
Use that could bring embarrassment or harm to the Holmes SWCD.
Use for the purpose of operating a business for personal gain, sending chain letters, or soliciting money for religious or political organizations, or causes; or any reasons unrelated to the business of the Holmes SWCD.
Uses that would violate any federal, state, or local laws.
Use to transmit, download, or print obscene, pornographic, threatening, or racially, sexually, or religiously harassing materials.
Use to download, distribute, or print copyrighted materials, which include articles and software, in violation of the copyright laws; or
Uses that could violate the privacy rights of the Holmes SWCD, other employees or members of the public.
Staff shall not transmit sensitive material via e-mail or utilize any method encryption.
Sending, saving, or viewing offensive material is strictly prohibited. Offensive material includes, but is not limited to, comments, jokes, or images of a sexual or racial nature, gender-specific comments or any comments, jokes or images that would offend someone on the basis of any classification protected by federal, state or local law. Any use of the internet to harass or discriminate is unlawful and strictly prohibited. All e-mail transmissions are considered property of the Holmes SWCD office and subject to monitoring, retrieval, and review.
No Holmes SWCD employee shall provide access to confidential information through the internet or e-mail services. The transmission of confidential information shall only be in accord with the current procedures and regulations. All Holmes SWCD employees shall use reasonable safeguards when using the internet or e-mail services to avoid the mistaken distribution of another’s information.
No employee shall use the internet or e-mail services of any other employee. Employees must inform their supervisor whenever there is a change in the employee’s e-mail address.
Employees may not download anything from the internet to the hard drive on any of the office’s computers without first having approval of the Appointing Authority.
Holmes SWCD employees have no right or expectation of privacy about internet or e-mail services. When necessary, internet and e-mail usage patterns may be examined for work-related purposes, including situations where there is a need to investigate possible misconduct and to assure that resources are devoted to maintaining the highest level of productivity. Holmes SWCD has the authority and ability to monitor internet sites contacted and e-mail usage at its discretion.

POLITICAL ACTIVITY

Generally, District employees may participate in political activity with few restrictions.

District employees are prohibited from:

Participating in any political activity on SWCD time.

Soliciting political contributions from any SWCD or County employee during work hours.

Unclassified employees who wish to participate in political activity during normal business hours must utilize administrative leave without pay, vacation or personal leave. No compensatory leave or any other type of leave, except listed above, may be used to participate in political activity.

A public employee may not solicit a contribution from any person nor shall any person solicit a contribution from any public employee while the public employee is performing official duties or in those areas of a public building where official business is transacted or conducted. A “contribution” includes a contribution to a ballot issue as well as a candidacy. A violation is a first-degree misdemeanor.

SEXUAL HARASSMENT STATEMENT

It is the policy of the Holmes SWCD to prohibit sexual harassment of its employees in any form. No employee, either male or female, should be subject to unsolicited and unwelcome sexual overtures or conduct, either physical or verbal. Sexual harassment is illegal; therefore, the Holmes SWCD will treat sexual harassment as any other form of serious employee misconduct.

The Holmes SWCD believes that employees should be able to work in an environment that is free from all forms of harassment, particularly those involving:

Unwelcome sexual advances in return for money, promotions, or other workplace opportunities.
Workplace decisions affecting your employment when you believe these were made because of your reactions to those kinds of advances.
The nature of your work environment, if you believe the atmosphere you work in has been made hostile, intimidating, or offensive to you by the actions of others.
Employees have the responsibility to confront the individual who they feel has sexually harassed them. If the individual continues the sexual harassment activity, report the activity using the procedure outline by the Holmes SWCD. (See below)
Any employee who feels that they have experienced sexual harassment as described above shall report the harassment through either of the following procedures at the option of the employee:
Employees may report the harassment to the District Program Administrator or Holmes SWCD Board Chairperson.

Employees are directed that they may, and are expected to, bypass the standard chain-of-command in reporting allegations of sexual harassment when the person to whom the employee would normally report is the employee or supervisor who committed the harassment.

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

The District supports the free exchange of information and camaraderie among employees on the internet. However, when internet blogging, chat room discussion, email, text messages or other forms of electronic communication extend to employees revealing confidential information about the District or its employees, the employee who posts such information or assists in posting such material may be subject to disciplinary action.

Employees are reminded to be careful of the information they disclose on the internet, including social media sites. The following use of social media are strictly prohibited, whether on or off duty:
Comments or displays about coworkers, supervisors or the District that are vulgar, obscene, threatening, intimidating, harassing, or a violation of the District’s personnel policies.
Statements or used of the District’s logo which are slanderous or detrimental, including evidence of the misuse of the District’s authority, information, insignia, or equipment.
Unprofessional communication which, if left unaddressed, could potentially result in a civil or criminal cause of action against the District. Unprofessional communication also includes that which the District could demonstrate has a substantial risk of negatively affecting the District’s reputation, mission, or operations, such as slander, defamation or other legal cause of action.
Disclosure of confidential and/or proprietary information acquired in the course of employment. Confidential information includes not only information that would not be available pursuant to a public records request, but also includes any information which does not relate to an issue of public concern.
Comments or displays which impact employees’ abilities to perform their job duties or the District’s ability to maintain an efficient workplace.
Social media sites may be inspected by the District for cause to determine potential policy violations. If an employee believes that an online communication violates a District policy, the employee should immediately report the communication to his/her supervisor. The District may investigate the matter, determine whether such communication violates policy, and take appropriate action. This policy does not apply to communications protected by the U.S. or Ohio Constitution.

WORKPLACE VIOLENCE

A. Zero Tolerance. Holmes SWCD is committed to providing a work environment that is safe, secure and free of harassment, threats, intimidation and violence. In furtherance of this commitment, the District enforces a zero tolerance policy for workplace violence. Consistent with this policy, threats or acts of physical violence, including intimidation, harassment, and/or coercion which involve or affect employees, or which occur on District property or at a worksite, will not be tolerated. Employees who are found to have committed acts of workplace violence will receive discipline and possible criminal prosecution, depending on the nature of the offense. Acts of workplace violence must immediately be reported.

B. Prohibited Acts of Violence. Prohibited acts of workplace violence include, but are not limited to, the following, which may occur on-duty or off-duty: (1) hitting or shoving; (2) threatening harm to an employee or his/her family, friends, associates, or property; (3) intentional destruction of property; (4) harassing or threatening telephone calls, letters or other forms of written or electronic communications, including email and social media postings; (5) intimidating or attempting to coerce an employee to do wrongful acts, as defined by applicable law, administrative rule, policy, or work rule; (6) willful, malicious and repeated following of another person, also known as “stalking” and/or making threats with the intent to place another person in reasonable fear for his/her safety; (7) suggesting or otherwise intimating that an act to injure persons or property is “appropriate”, without regard to the location where the suggestion or intimation occurs; and (8) unauthorized possession or inappropriate use of firearms, weapons, or any other dangerous devices on District property.

C. Warning Signs and Risk Factors. The following are examples of warning signs, symptoms and risk factors that may indicate an employee’s potential for violence. In all situations, if violence appears imminent, employees should take the precautions necessary to assure their own safety and the safety of others. An employee should immediately notify management if they witness any violent behavior, including, but not limited to, the following: (1) hinting or bragging about a knowledge of firearms; (2) making intimidating statements such as: “I’ll get even,” or “You haven’t heard the last from me.”; (3) keeping records of other employees the individual believes to have violated departmental policy; (4) physical signs of anger, such as hard breathing, reddening of complexion, menacing stares, loudness, and profane speech; (5) acting out violently either verbally or physically; (6) excessive bitterness by a disgruntled employee or an ex-employee; (7) being a “loner,” avoiding all social contact with co-workers; (8) having a romantic obsession with a co-worker who does not share that interest; (9) history of interpersonal conflict; (10) domestic problems, financial problems, unstable/dysfunctional family; and (11) brooding, depressed, strange behavior.

CONTACT WITH NEWS MEDIA/RESIDENTS

Any employee contacted by the news media or a citizen on a matter related to District operations should direct the caller to contact the Administrator. This policy is designed to avoid duplication, assure accuracy, and protect employees and the District from the dissemination of misstatements and misinformation. This policy does not prohibit employees from making a public statement, in their off duty hours, on matters of public concern. However, this policy does prohibit employees from making unauthorized public statements during their working hours and from making public statements about matters of private concern that negatively impact the District.