Instant Messaging Rules: A Business Guide to Managing Policies, Security, and Legal Issues for Safe IM Communication

Overview

Sexual harassment and sexual discrimination are against the law. It is the policy of the Company to adhere to the federal and state laws that prohibit sexual harassment. The Company also is committed to maintaining a working environment that is free from sexual harassment, intimidation, coercion, and discrimination.

The Company will not tolerate the sexual harassment of any employee by another employee. The Company will not tolerate the sexual harassment of a client, supplier, business partner, or any other third party by an employee. This sexual harassment policy applies to all employees, regardless of rank, title, position, or tenure with the company.

Employees should treat their coworkers, subordinates, and supervisors with respect at all times.

If the investigation of a complaint produces evidence that sexual-harassment has occurred, appropriate disciplinary action, up to and including termination, will be taken.

Company employees are prohibited from engaging in the following inappropriate activities:

• Using the Company’s instant messaging (IM) or e-mail system to send or receive off-color jokes that have a sexual connotation. This includes the deliberate and careless telling of jokes in the presence of employees (and nonemployees) who may be offended by the jokes.

• Using the Company’s instant messaging or e-mail system to send or receive jokes, gossip, rumors, defamatory material, or other objectionable material that is unrelated to your job and the business of the Company.

• Using the Company’s IM or e-mail system to send or receive messages containing language that is obscene, off-color, adult-oriented, harassing, menacing, threatening, discriminating, or objectionable in any way.

• Using the Company’s IM or e-mail system to send or receive obscene, off-color, adult-oriented, harassing, menacing, threatening, discriminatory, or otherwise objectionable art, pictures, cartoons, or graphics.

• Using the Company’s Internet system to view, download, or print materials or images that contain language that is obscene, off-color, adult-oriented, harassing, menacing, threatening, discriminatory, or objectionable in any way. This includes, but is not limited to, text, art, pictures, cartoons, or graphics.

• Using the Company’s fax machine(s) to send or receive material or images that contain language that is obscene, off color, adult-oriented, harassing, menacing, threatening, discriminatory, or objectionable in any way. This includes, but is not limited to, text, art, pictures, cartoons, graphics, and jokes.

• Making unwelcome suggestions or invitations to social engagements to coworkers and nonemployees.

• Making unwelcome physical contact (touching) or invading another’s physical space (getting too close) to coworkers and nonemployees.

• Stating or implying that an employee’s job security, job assignment, conditions of employment, or opportunity for advancement may depend upon the employee’s granting sexual favors to another employee or a manager, supervisor, executive, or officer of the Company.

• Taking any action related to an employee’s job status based on the employee’s granting or refusing sexual or social favors.