Internet Usage Policy

This Internet Usage Policy applies to all employees of Roehampton  who have access to computers and the Internet to be used in the performance of their work. Use of the Internet by employees of Roehampton is permitted and encouraged where such use supports the goals and objectives of the business.

However, access to the Internet through Roehampton is a privilege and all employees must adhere to the policies concerning Computer, Email and Internet usage. Violation of these policies could result in disciplinary and/or legal action leading up to and including termination of employment. Employees may also be held personally liable for damages caused by any violations of this policy.

Internet use, on Company time, is authorized to conduct Company business only. Internet use brings the possibility of breaches to the security of confidential Company information. Internet use also creates the possibility of contamination to our system via viruses or spyware. Spyware allows unauthorized people, outside the Company, potential access to Company passwords and other confidential information.

All company employees, contractors or temporary staff who have been granted the right to use the company's internet access are required to sign this agreement confirming their understanding and acceptance of this policy.

Unacceptable use of the Internet by employees includes, but is not limited to:

·         Creating any unnecessary business risk to the company by their misuse of the internet.

·         Visiting internet sites that contain obscene, hateful, pornographic or otherwise illegal material

·         Use of the computer to perpetrate any form of fraud, or software, film or music piracy

·         Using the internet to send offensive or harassing material to other users

·         Downloading commercial software or any copyrighted materials belonging to third parties, unless this download is covered or permitted under a commercial agreement or other such licence

·         Publishing defamatory and/or knowingly false material about Canadian I.S., your colleagues and/or our customers on social networking sites, 'blogs' (online journals), 'wikis' and any online publishing format

·         Revealing confidential information about Roehampton in a personal online posting, upload or transmission - including financial information and information relating to our customers, business plans, policies, staff and/or internal discussions

·         Undertaking deliberate activities that waste staff effort or networked resources

·         Introducing any form of malicious software into the corporate network

·         Stealing, using, or disclosing someone else's password without authorization.

·         Sharing confidential material, trade secrets, or proprietary information outside of the organization.

·         Sending or posting information that is defamatory to the company, its products/services, colleagues and/or customers.

·         Introducing malicious software onto the company network and/or jeopardizing the security of the organization's electronic communications systems.

·         Sending or posting chain letters, solicitations, or advertisements not related to business purposes or activities.

·         Passing off personal views as representing those of the organization.

·         If you produce, collect and/or process business-related information in the course of your work, the information remains the property of Roehampton This includes such information stored on third-party websites such as webmail service providers and social networking sites, such as Facebook and LinkedIn.

If an employee is unsure about what constituted acceptable Internet usage, then he/she should ask his/her supervisor for further guidance and clarification.

Email Usage Policy

Email is also to be used for Company business only. Company confidential information must not be shared outside of the Company, without authorization, at any time. You are also not to conduct personal business using the Company computer or email.

Please keep this in mind, also, as you consider forwarding non-business emails to associates, family or friends. Non-business related emails waste company time and attention.

Sending pornographic jokes or stories via email, is considered sexual harassment and will be addressed according to our sexual harassment policy.

Emails That Discriminate

·         Any emails that discriminate against employees by virtue of any protected classification including race, gender, nationality, religion, and so forth, will be dealt with according to the harassment policy.

·         These emails are prohibited at the Company. Sending or forwarding non-business emails will result in disciplinary action that may lead to employment termination.

Company Owns Employee Email

·         Keep in mind that the Company owns any communication sent via email or that is stored on company equipment. Management and other authorized staff have the right to access any material in your email or on your computer at any time. Please do not consider your electronic communication, storage or access to be private if it is created or stored at work.

·         All Internet data that is composed, transmitted and/or received by the Roehampton computer system is considered to belong to Roehampton and is recognized as part of its official data. It is therefore subject to disclosure for legal reasons or to other appropriate third parties.

·         The equipment, services and technology used to access the Internet are the property Roehampton and the company reserves the right to monitor Internet traffic and monitor and access data that is composed, sent or received through its online connections.

·         All sites and downloads may be monitored and/or blocked by Roehampton if they are deemed to be harmful and/or not productive to business.

Monitoring

·         Roehampton accepts that the use of the internet 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 internet-related resources are provided for business purposes. Therefore, the company maintains the right to monitor the volume of internet and network traffic, together with the internet sites visited. The specific content of any transactions will not be monitored unless there is a suspicion of improper use.

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.

Software Access Procedure

·         Software required, in addition to the Microsoft Office suite of products, must be authorized by your supervisor and downloaded/installed by the IT department. If you need access to software not currently installed on your Company workstation, speak with your supervisor so they may arrange consultation with the IT department.

·         Removing installed programs from your Company workstation requires IT staff to invest time and attention that is better devoted to progress. For this reason, and to assure the use of work time appropriately for work, we ask staff members to consult with their supervisor for any requested additions or removal of installed software.

All terms and conditions as stated in this document are applicable to all users of Roehampton’s network and Internet connection. All terms and conditions as stated in this document reflect an agreement of all parties and should be governed and interpreted in accordance with the policies and procedures mentioned above. Any user violating these policies is subject to disciplinary actions deemed appropriate by Roehampton

Social Media Policy

PURPOSE

Our social media company policy provides a framework for using social media. Social media is a place where people exchange information, opinions and experiences to learn, develop and have fun. This policy provides practical advice to avoid issues that might arise by careless use of social media in the workplace.

SCOPE

We expect all our employees to follow this policy.

POLICY ELEMENTS

“Social media” refers to a variety of online communities like blogs, social networks, chat rooms and forums. This policy covers all of them.

We consider two different elements: using personal social media at work and representing our company through social media.

USING PERSONAL SOCIAL MEDIA AT WORK

We allow employees to access their personal accounts at work. But, we expect them to act responsibly and ensure their productivity isn’t affected. Using social media excessively while at work can reduce efficiency and concentration. Employees using their social media accounts may easily get sidetracked by the vast amount of available content.

We advise our employees to use their common sense. If employees neglect their job duties to spend time on social media, their decline in productivity will show on their performance reviews.

REPRESENTING COMPANY THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

We do not allow employees to associate themselves with the company through social media and we expect employees to act carefully and responsibly to protect our company’s image and reputation.

•    Ensure others know that personal account or statements don’t represent our company. Employees shouldn’t state or imply that their personal opinions and content are authorized or endorsed by our company. We advise using a disclaimer such as “opinions are my own” to avoid misunderstandings.

•    Never post intellectual property like trademarks, work photos or videos on a personal account without approval. Confidentiality policies and laws always apply.

•    Never post financial and operational information, strategies, forecasts, legal issues, as well as any information that pertains to clients, customers or other employees.

•    Avoid any defamatory, offensive or derogatory content. It may be considered as a violation of our company’s anti-harassment policy, if directed towards colleagues, clients or partners.

DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES

We may have to take disciplinary action leading up to and including termination if employees do not follow this policy’s guidelines. Examples of non-conformity with the employee social media policy include but are not limited to:

•    Disregarding job responsibilities and deadlines to use social media

•    Disclosing confidential information through personal or corporate accounts

•    Directing offensive comments towards other members of the online community