Procedure ID Department Operation Controlled By: Effectively:
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12/1/2011 |
Description:
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The purpose of this policy is to ensure the proper use of {Company} email system and make certain users are aware of what {COMPANY} deems as acceptable and unacceptable use of its email system. The {COMPANY} reserves the right to amend this policy at its discretion. In case of amendments, users will be informed appropriately. Legal RISKS Email is a business communication tool and users are obliged to use this tool in a responsible, effective and lawful manner. Although by its nature email seems to be less formal than other written communication, the same laws apply. Therefore, it is important that users are aware of the legal risks of email: 1. If you send emails with any libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks, you and {COMPANY} can be held liable. 2. If you forward emails with any libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks, you and {COMPANY} can be held liable. 3. If you unlawfully forward confidential information, you and {COMPANY} can be held liable. 4. If you unlawfully forward or copy messages without permission, you and {COMPANY} can be held liable for copyright infringement. 5. If you send an attachment that contains a virus, you and {COMPANY} can be held liable. By following the guidelines in this policy, the email user can minimize the legal risks involved in the use of email. If any user disregards the rules set out in this Email Policy, the user shall be fully liable and {COMPANY} will disassociate itself from the user as far as legally possible. Legal requirements The following rules are required by law and are to be strictly adhered to: 1. It is strictly prohibited to send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or obscene remarks. If you receive an email of this nature, you must promptly notify your supervisor. 2. Do not forward a message without acquiring permission from the sender first. 3. Do not send unsolicited email messages. 4. Do not forge or attempt to forge email messages. 5. Do not send email messages using another person’s email account. 6. Do not copy a message or attachment belonging to another user without permission of the originator. 7. Do not disguise or attempt to disguise your identity when sending mail.
Best practices {COMPANY} considers email as an important means of communication and recognizes the importance of proper email content and speedy replies in conveying a professional image and delivering superior customer service. Therefore {COMPANY} wishes users to adhere to the following guidelines: Writing emails: 1. Write well-structured emails and use short, descriptive subjects for retrieval, sorting, and archive purposes. 2. {Company} email style is informal. This means that sentences can be short and to the point. Use of “bullets” and “Outlines” to quickly convey main points is recommended. You may start your email with ‘Hi’, or ‘Dear’, and/or the name of the person. Messages can be ended with ‘Best Regards’. The use of Internet abbreviations and characters such as “smileys” however, is not encouraged and deemed unprofessional. 3. Emails must include a signatures containing your name, job title , company name, followed by {COMPANY} standard disclaimer (see Disclaimer) 4. Use the spell checker before sending out an email. 5. Do not send unnecessary attachments. Compress attachments larger than 200K before sending them. 6. Don't forward top-10 lists, chain letters, or jokes. 7. Do not write emails in capitals. Write emails as you would a letter. 8. Do not use cc: or bcc: fields unless the cc: or bcc: recipient is aware that you will be copying a mail to them and understands what action, if any, to take. 9. If you forward mails, state clearly what action you expect the recipient to take. 10 Only send emails of which the content could be displayed on a public notice board. If they cannot be displayed publicly in their current state, consider rephrasing the email, using other means of communication, or protecting information by using a password (see {COMPANY} Confidential Policy). 11. Only mark emails as “important” and/or “confidential” if they truly are such. 12. Never turn off your antivirus and anti-Adware software. Receiving emails: 1. Email is the preferred method used by hackers to deliver Viruses, Zombies, Adware and Malware…. 2. If you do not know the person sending the email – don’t open it 3. If you know the person but the email appears out of character for that person, call the sender before opening the email 4. If the attachment is not expected, call the sender before opening it. 5. Never open email and attachment with the following file extensions: exe, com, bat, html, htm, srn, pid, jas, jav, or active X. 6. We discourage the use of “Preview Panes” and “Auto Preview” as these may automatically start an email virus or Malware. Replying to emails: 1. General emails should be answered the same day they are received, or within 8 working hours. 2. Priority emails should be acknowledged immediately and, if necessary, it should include a commitment time for detailed response. 3. Priority emails are emails from existing customers, perspective customers, and business partners. 4. If you don't have anything to say, don't reply. Example, if someone sends a note asking if anyone in the company has “the installation disk” and you don’t have it, don’t reply. To reply would be a waste of your time, the person to whom you are replying, and a waste of network/computer resources. 5. Don't automatically click Reply All. If someone sends a note addressed to a large group, stop and think before you click Reply All. Maybe you need to take your discussion with the original sender offline. If the whole group doesn't need your input, don't waste their time and inbox space. 6. Time used in checking and replying to emails should be managed and scheduled like any other activity. Don’t become a slave to your email system. Newsgroups: Users need to request permission from their supervisor before subscribing to a newsletter, news group, or Usenet. Maintenance: 1. Delete any email messages that you do not need to have a copy of, and set your email client to automatically empty your ‘deleted items’ on closing. 2. Retained emails are subject to {COMPANY} document retention policy. Personal Use Although {Company} email system is meant for business use, {COMPANY} allows “occasional” use of email for personal use if certain guidelines are adhered to: 1. Personal use of email must not interfere with work. 2. Personal emails must also adhere to the guidelines in this policy. 3. Personal emails are kept in a separate folder, named ‘Private’. The emails in this folder must be deleted weekly so as not to clog up the system. 4. The forwarding of chain letters, junk mail, jokes and executables is strictly forbidden. 5. On average, users are not allowed to send more than 2 personal emails a day. 6. Do not send mass mailings. 7. All messages distributed via the company’s email system, even personal emails, are {Company} property meaning that you must have no expectation of privacy Confidential information Avoid sending confidential information by email. If you do, you must secure the information by including it in a Microsoft Word or Excel file and protecting it with a password. Then provide the recipient with the password by means of other communication, for instance by telephone. Disclaimer The following disclaimer must be added to each outgoing email: ‘This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify the Email administrator. Please note that any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of the company. Finally, the recipient should check this email and any attachments for the presence of viruses. Whilst taking reasonable precautions against such, company accepts no liability for any damage caused by any virus transmitted by this email.’ System Monitoring You must have no expectation of privacy in anything you create, store, send or receive on the company’s computer system. Your emails can be monitored without prior notification if {COMPANY} deems this necessary. If there is evidence that you are not adhering to the guidelines set out in this policy, the {COMPANY} reserves the right to take disciplinary action, including termination and/or legal action. Email accounts All email accounts maintained on our email systems are property of {COMPANY}. Passwords must not be given to other people and must be changed according to {COMPANY} security policy. Email accounts not used for 60 days will be deactivated and possibly deleted.
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