Date Issued: August 24th, 2006
Date Effective:
Subject: Computer Usage and Computing Environment
Policy: The 9-1-1 Authority provides computer systems for use of its
consulting contractor in the conduct of official 91-1- Authority business.
Contractor employees are required to comply with all official 9-1-1 Authority
computer systems policies that apply to them as end-users, including adherence
to all Information Technology Security Procedures.
Purpose: To ensure that all persons using computer equipment and software
systems provided by the 9-1-1 Authority understand the expectations of their usage of said equipment, software and systems.
Definitions
• Computing Resources: Computer, network, or data
equipment, and/or services, leased, owned, or contracted for or by the 9-1-1
Authority, to include:
• Computer and network hardware.
• Computer software, application systems, and programs.
• Data such as records, files, logs, and images which are or have
been stored electronically or transmitted using 9-1-1 Authority property.
• Messages such as e-mail, created, stored, or viewed on such
computer.
• Computer or network services, such as Internet, intranet, e-mail
systems, and other programs or applications that reside within or operate as
part of the 9-1-1 Authority’s computing environment.
• Approved Software: Software or programs that are:
• Approved for use by the manager of the unit.
• Approved for use in the 9-1-1 System.
Access: The 9-1-1 Authority is able to monitor or
examine messages, data, or software that involves its computing resources. As
the owner of the computer systems, the 9-1-1 Authority reserves the right to
periodically examine, as it deems appropriate, any messages, data, or software
left on or transmitted using the 9-1-1 Authority’s computing resources,
including electronic logs and usage records.
·
Employees should assume that such messages, data, or software are not private/confidential.
·
The contents of computer and electronic mail are subject to the Colorado
Open Records Act, court order, or a legitimate 9-1-1 Authority business
inquiry. Therefore under certain circumstances, the 9-1-1 Authority may
disclose the contents to the public.
·
At the 9-1-1 Authority’s discretion, messages, data or software deleted
from computing resources may be retrieved.
.
Internet Usage
The 9-1-1 Authority uses software and
systems to monitor and record the Internet usage for each user. The 9-1-1
Authority reserves the right to block accesses from within its networks to any
sites deemed inappropriate or which have a detrimental effect upon network
performance. Users should not have any
expectation of privacy as to their usage of Internet World Wide Web sites, file
transfers, chat sessions, and/or online subscription or delivery.
E-mail
E-mail or other computer generated
messages that are to be broadcast by users must be considered public and not be
broadcast to any sites deemed offensive.
Security
Users are required to read, understand,
and comply with all policies contained in the 9-1-1 Authority Policy and
Procedure Manual pertaining to end-users. Failure to comply with security
policies may result in discipline, up to and including termination.
Misuse of Computing Resources
Users are expected to properly use the computer
resources available to assist in the performance of their assigned job.
Computer misuse may result in discipline, up to and including discharge.
Examples of misuse include, but are not
limited to, the following:
ü
Excessive or Inappropriate Use: A users access to the Internet or use of any computing
resources may be terminated or limited at the discretion of the employee's
immediate supervisor, if the usage is interfering with the performance of
duties or is otherwise deemed inappropriate.
ü
Offensive Material: A wide variety of materials available on the internet or
received by e-mail may be deemed offensive. These materials include, but are
not limited to sexually explicit material and material that includes racial,
ethnic, religious, or sexist slurs. Users are not to use the 9-1-1 Authority’s
computing resources to intentionally, view, store, print, or redistribute any
such document or graphic file.
ü
Personal Economic Gain: The 9-1-1 Authority’s computing resources must not be used
in any fashion for personal economic gain, including private businesses or
gambling activity.
ü
The Fair Campaign Practices Act: Provisions must not be violated
through personal usage of the computer, if such usage might influence the
outcome of an election.
ü
Software Usage: The
installation and use of software must be approved by the immediate supervisor
or the 9-1-1 System Manager. Usage of approved software must comply with all
licensing requirements.
ü
E-Mail Misuse: E-mailed chain letters, jokes, personal messages, and goods for
sale should not be broadcast. Offensive and inappropriate material should not
be contained in any e-mail messages.