AITP Model Electronic Mail (E-mail) Policy
This document outlines suggested company rules and procedures and employee responsibilities for electronic mail (e-mail) messages sent or received via the company's e-mail systems. It covers internal and external network systems and services to which the company subscribes.
1. Purpose:
- The purpose of e-mail is to conduct company business.
2. Ownership:
- E-mail equipment and messages are company property.
- Messages that are created, sent or received using the company's e-mail system are the property of the company.
- The company reserves the right to access and disclose the contents of all messages created, sent or received using its e-mail system.
3. Usage:
- All e-mail communication must be handled in the same manner as a letter, fax, memo or other business communications.
- No copyrighted or company proprietary information is to be distributed by company e-mail unless approval has been granted by a company official
- No commercial messages, employee solicitations, messages of a religious or political nature are to be distributed using company e-mail.
- E-mail massages may not contain content that may be considered offensive or disruptive. Offensive content includes but is not limited to obscene or harassing language or images, racial, ethnic, sexual or gender specific comments or images or other comments or images that would offend someone on the basis of their religious or political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin or age.
- Employees may not retrieve or read e-mail that was not sent to them unless authorized by the company or by the e-mail recipient.
4. Non-Business E-mail: (choose one)
- Allowed
Incidental and occasional personal use of electronic mail is permitted. Such messages become the property of the company and are subject to the same conditions as company e-mail.- Not Allowed
No personal business is to be conducted using company e-mail.5. Violations
- Violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action up and including termination and/or legal action if warranted.
- Employees should report any misuse of the company e-mail system or violations of this policy to the appropriate company official.
- Other e-mail issues may be addressed in this policy or included as part of the company's overall information systems standards and procedures. They include:
- Virus checking of attachments
- Password protection
- Archival/storage of old messages
- Use of distribution lists
- Restricting use of "copy all" for sending or responding to messages
Researched and Developed by the
Foundation for Information Technology Education