Email Acceptable Use Policy
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Overview A written Email Use Policy and the procedures behind it are designed to protect both employers and workers from any legal liabilities arising from the use of email at work. These might include employees opening attachments from an un recognised email which might contain a virus, or making racist and sexist comments via email. As an employer, you will also need to set out the boundaries between using email for work and private purposes. Another issue to consider is to ensure that employees who are not authorised to do so are making agreements via email. You ll also need to make sure that employees don t breach intellectual property laws or data protection by sending protected copyright images or personal data. The Email Use Policy must make it clear that disciplinary action can be taken if workers fail to comply with its requirements. You should also ensure that any agreements with third party contractors and consultants carry the same message. Please cut and paste the highlighted text below into your own document and insert the relevant information where indicated.
Email Acceptable Use Policy Use of email by employees of [Insert Business Name] is permitted and encouraged where such use supports the goals and objectives of the business. However, [Insert Business Name] has a policy for the use of email whereby the employee must ensure that they: comply with current legislation use email in an acceptable way do not create unnecessary business risk to the company by their misuse of the Internet Unacceptable behaviour use of company communications systems to set up personal businesses or send chain letters forwarding of company confidential messages to external locations distributing, disseminating or storing images, text or materials that might be considered indecent, pornographic, obscene or illegal distributing, disseminating or storing images, text or materials that might be considered discriminatory, offensive or abusive, in that the context is a personal attack, sexist or racist, or might be considered as harassment accessing copyrighted information in a way that violates the copyright breaking into the company s or another organisation s system or unauthorised use of a password/mailbox broadcasting unsolicited personal views on social, political, religious or other non business related matters transmitting unsolicited commercial or advertising material undertaking deliberate activities that waste staff effort or networked resources introducing any form of computer virus or malware into the corporate network Monitoring [Insert Business Name] accepts that the use of email is a valuable business tool. However, misuse of this facility can have a negative impact upon employee productivity and the reputation of the business. In addition, all of the company s email resources are provided for business purposes. Therefore, the company maintains the right to examine any systems and inspect any data recorded in those systems. In order to ensure compliance with this policy, the company also reserves the right to use monitoring software in order to check upon the use and content of emails. Such monitoring is for legitimate purposes only and will be undertaken
in accordance with a procedure agreed with employees. Sanctions Where it is believed that an employee has failed to comply with this policy, they will face the company's disciplinary procedure. If the employee is found to have breached the policy, they will face a disciplinary penalty ranging from a verbal warning to dismissal. The actual penalty applied will depend on factors such as the seriousness of the breach and the employee's disciplinary record. Note: [These procedures will be specific to your business. They should reflect your normal operational and disciplinary processes. You should establish them from the outset and include them in your acceptable use policy.] Agreement All company employees, contractors or temporary staff who have been granted the right to use the company s email system are required to sign this agreement confirming their understanding and acceptance of this policy. Updated April 2014 Price 10