Warning - dismissal for use of internet at work

[NewSlinkymalinki]

Dear all
A friend of mine has just been dismissed for gross misconduct, for excessive use of the internet at work. She had no warnings, and has never been to a dodgy site in her life, just checks her personal email and looks and posts at sites like MN. She is a qualified professional and was in middle management. Her work was not suffering - she used to meet the most horrendous deadlines. But her contract said she wasn't allowed to use the internet, and that was it. The fact that everyone else in the office was doing exactly the same, and worse, didn't seem to matter.
So watch out, all you workplace MNetters

Fairymum, your op was implying that this is something you do and that you are comfortable with, that is what i found appauling. Of course i'm not surprised that it goes on and realise you didn't personally invent it, just amazed that you are happy to admit to being part of it.

"The people we want can use the net as much as they like, but if we want a reason to dismiss someone, inetrnet usage is a good one."

Hattie05, I am part of a big management team, hence the "we". I think the word "unfortunately" used in my post hints to what I think of some of the methods used. I have myself been sacked unfairly while on mat leave so I have personaly experience from the other side too. I am just giving you the facts. Seems like you want to make it personal for some reason.

I have internet access at work but my contract states that we're not allowed to access outside email, like gmail/hotmail and the like so I never have. And I have never, ever accessed mumsnet at (current) work because I'm terrified of getting caught and/or being identified as www!

My dh has just started working in a London Accountancy firm. They only allow 5 personal emails to be received per day. Non-work Internet usage is only allowed during the lunch hour. No personal emails can be sent. (Think I have got all the facts right). He is gutted, because he used to work from home. Whenever he was quiet, he would surf the net, which meant that he was still at his desk and available if any work came in, but was not bored...bless him - it's a bit of a culture shock!

Something else to think about...most Firewall/security systems used by companies to protect their It will track and/or block certain words. Think anything sexual, offensive, pornographic etc. OK now think about some of the conversations on this site (BF for example?) and you can guarantee MN will be caught if the IT protection is anyway half decent...If your company has a strict policy saying they monitor usage, you could find yourself caught up in what looks like more serious and sinister abuse.
Sorry to be blunt here, but no one actually has any right to use either their employer's email or internet for personal use any more than they have a right to receive personal visitors or correspondence. Not saying I agree or disagree, just stating the basic entitlement.

We have to sign up to our PCT's policy on internet use, and I am pretty careful at work, I think I have accessed MN once from work on a very quiet day and was horrified to discover how much time it takes to read just one thread. Most companies monitor all internet and e-mail use routinely and accessing inappropriate sites would be a gross misconduct/sackable offence. From watching my staff on the floor I really do think that many people use the internet way too much, but are unaware of this because it is son easy to waste time surfing. I have had to warn staff about having things like MSN turned on, or ticker-tapes running across their screens. These things are very distracting and use up the broadband space for other people, so it does have costs as well as breaking internet policies. Having said that if other people were doing the same thing as your friend, then legal advice seems a sensible option.

Um, stripeybumpsmum, that's a bit over-simplistic. Some companies have net-blocking software, but (from what I know), little of it works on word content. Largely because those systems don't work, they block lots of normal sites (think Scunthorpe).

Blocking software works on a site-by-site basis. Mumsnet would end up in a "timewasting" category, but not "porn".

You're right that people don't have a right to use the net, and people can waste loads of time.

(Oh, and the opposition to outside email, WWW, is often because of virus concerns. It's easier for your firm to scan their own email, but if web email is properly secure, the company machines can't protect themselves from viruses, at least not centrally.)