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Honored Contributor
Posts: 19,486
Registered: ‎03-16-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

[ Edited ]

No.  Because when I was working we didn't have computers, tablets or cell phones, let alone internet.  

 

I was grateful when my boss let me buy an electric typewriter to replace the manual I had started with.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 18,504
Registered: ‎05-23-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time


@straykatz wrote:

 Time wasted around the office comes in all shapes and forms....here's just a few of the ways that go on in my office by various employees throughout the day:

 

Come in 5-10 minutes late every day.

Go home 5 to 10 minutes early every day.

Take extra long lunch breaks.

Stop by co-workers office or desk and yak yak yak

Hang out in the break room chatting everytime you grab a fresh coffee.

Take personal non emergency calls 

Text all day long

Go for walks 2-3 times a day

Bring your kid to work for various reasons - distracts everoyne around you

Bring your dog to work - same as above - lots of distraction

Reading a book/knitting or other hobbies

 

 


 

 

I had co-workers who did all but the last three every day. I did my work and half of theirs. But if I spent five minutes extra in the bathroom once a day (not to do with makeup or tooth-brushing) a co-worker would complain and I would be reprimanded. No one elses was, but my p**p was timed.

 

Ah, the joys of retiring!

Life without Mexican food is no life at all
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Trusted Contributor
Posts: 1,651
Registered: ‎03-26-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

I knew 3 people who lost their jobs (in different fields) because of internet use during the work day.  Not worth it to me to risk losing a job.  Our IT guy told me that my cell phone use could be monitored if I was using the company WiFi...not sure if that is true or not.

Honored Contributor
Posts: 25,929
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

I was a nurse - internet access was blocked unless you used a certain password. Any time anyone got on the internet the usage was recorded and sent to your supervisor. If it was not work related you were let go.That was before days of smartphones.

Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 7,829
Registered: ‎03-18-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

At my rental property I trust that I hired people who know when it is time to work, you work. I don't block any sites and I know that occasionally they will check a site or two but all their work is done so I have no issue with it. I can check anytime to see how much time and what sites employees go to but I have never had to because they go above and beyond at work and as long as that is done, I am not petty so I don't worry about it. 

 

Now if I had a very large business where I had to worry about many employees I may feel differently but I don't have that many and I know each of them individually and fairly well. As long as they their work is done I don't care if they spend 10-15 min on a site. These are people who come in early if necessary and stay late if necessary. There isn't a one in the bunch who has had pressing work to do yet said well it is 5, see you later. They stay until it is done. If I have to babysit an employee, they aren't with me long.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.
JFK
Honored Contributor
Posts: 69,382
Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

I can't imagine this being a good idea or acceptable in any workplace.  They don't call them WORKplaces for nothing. 

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
Esteemed Contributor
Posts: 6,109
Registered: ‎04-14-2013

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

I don't know.  I haven't tried and I'm pretty certain the web access is monitored (we need it to look things up for customers, legitimately).

 

I resist using my cell for anything other than necessary calls to family, during the work day.  In fact, I'd rather use the company line.  They have to expect that I will need to make contact with "the outside world" from time-to-time.

Cogito ergo sum
Respected Contributor
Posts: 2,847
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

[ Edited ]

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

@Just Bling wrote:

For those who are still employed, does your Company allow you to go to various websites and in particular allow you to post on the Q forum?

 

 


@Just Bling

 

I know many will try to justify goofing off, but when you're on the company's timeclock, using a company computer, doing personal activities, that's just asking for problems .... or termination.   


If it was truely enforced, there wouldn't be anybody working for the Federal Government!!!

Honored Contributor
Posts: 21,733
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

Here are the rules for federal employees:

 

Unauthorized Use of the Internet

If your job duties require you to have a computer and access to the internet, chances are you have checked your personal e-mail or Facebook page, used your work e-mail address to send personal messages, or surfed the internet while at work. While these may seem like harmless uses of your employer's resources, depending on what is accessed and when, a federal employee can be charged with misuse or unauthorized use of government property.

 

The Chief Information Office Council has recommended that Federal Agencies grant their employees the privilege of personal use of government property, including computers, internet connections and e-mail accounts in a limited capacity, as long as said use does not create an additional expense and does not interfere with the official business of the Agency. Based on this recommendation, most Agencies have adopted policies that allow federal employees to use their government computer and internet access for personal use during off duty hours. Generally off duty hours are considered to be before or after the workday (subject to business hours); during lunch or scheduled break periods; or on holidays or weekends.

 

Government computers and the internet access thereto are under the control and custody of the Agency and your personal use of the same implies that they have your consent to disclose any information you store or pass through that device. Therefore, a supervisor has the right to read, monitor, access or record any personal information you may store on a government computer. With that said, common sense should tell you that it is wise to limit your personal use of your government computer and only store or view information that you would otherwise share or disseminate to your co-workers and supervisors. In addition you should be careful not to use your government computer for actives that are otherwise prohibited by standing Agency policies. Such activities include, but are not limited to, viewing websites with sexually explicit or pornographic content, distributing e-mails that are offensive to co-workers based on race, religion, gender or sexual orientation, or engaging in illegal activity such as gambling.

 

Failure to adhere to Agency policy regarding use of your government computer could result in a revocation of your internet access and e-mail privileges or an adverse action such as a suspension or even termination, depending on the nature of the misuse. A federal employee can appeal an adverse action to the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) in an effort to reverse the adverse employment action. Litigation before the MSPB is complex and time sensitive. It is prudent for federal employees to with an MSPB attorney to avoid potentially prejudicing their case.

 


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Honored Contributor
Posts: 41,253
Registered: ‎03-09-2010

Re: Posting on the Company's Time

@suzyQ3

that policy doesnt really cover using your own personal devices though, does it?.....phones or tablets, or laptops......

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"The world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing." - Albert Einstein