Email usage at work

[Notmydolly]

If someone uses their work (VERY well known company) email to send an email to another person who doesn't work for that company (so a private email to a friend) in that email they slag off a child and say insulting things about that child how would the company view this if reported?? Is it gross misconduct?

Why would it be gross misconduct? Have they threatened anything illegal? A harrassment campaign? If its a one off private email saying something not very nice about someone with no links to the company I doubt anyone would care.

Did you send the email or was it about one of your dcs?

Does the company have a policy on using emails for personal use? I worked in the public sector and they had a policy including what we could and could not do. That would be my first port of call.

Was it your child who got slagged off, NotMD?

Is it possible to libel a child?

No it's not and I'd be surprised if it was written into policy as most people are permitted to send emails from work in my experience.

If you're the mother of the kid in question and thinking of 'grassing' to the company be aware it makes you look petty and bitter.

I'm sure you're not though

Depends on the policy. We are not allowed to use work email for personal use, plus countless other things.

It all depends on the policy and whether personal emails are permitted at all, and whether there is any 'catch all' about inappropriate content (subjective).

I suspect people need to grow a thicker skin and not think about reporting someone just because their little feelings got hurt by something that had been said.

Also everything said about that person's child might be true anyway but most parents do not like think their precious little darlings can really be rather awful at times.