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HomeMy Public PortalAbout754.11 - Business and Financial Services - Information Technology - EmailCity Clerk/General Administration Department Technology Management Division Section 754.11 754.11 SUBJECT: E-MAIL :1 OBJECTIVE: To describe the policy and procedures for access to and the proper use of E-Mail messages sent or received by City employees with the use of the City’s E-Mail system. :2 AUTHORITY: This policy amended by City Council September 15, 2003. :3 DIRECTION: Systems & Networks Senior Manager, as an Appointed Official, serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and receives direction from the Chief Information Officer. :4 FUNCTION: A. Electronic Mail (E-Mail) is an alternative electronic communications medium provided by the City of Orlando for the purpose of efficiently conducting City business. B. Policy: 1. All employees are to use E-Mail as they would any other type of official City communications tool. When any E-Mail is transmitted, both the reader and sender should consider if the communication falls within ethical guidelines. Communications containing confidential information should be encrypted and/or password protected before transmission to ensure safe delivery. 2. Communication by E-Mail is encouraged when it results in the most efficient and/or effective means of communication. 3. All E-Mail messages are a part of the City’s computer system and therefore are subject to the public records law in the same manner as paper correspondence. C. Access and Use of E-mail: 1. E-Mail access will be granted to all City employees with computer technology capable of executing the programs unless specifically denied by their Division Manager, Office Head or Department Director. 2. Use of the E-mail system is intended for City related business. Incidental and occasional personal use of E-mail is permitted by the City but these messages will be treated the same as other messages. D. The following uses are strictly prohibited: 1. E-Mail may not be used for soliciting or proselytizing for commercial ventures, job searches, chain letters, religious or personal causes or outside organizations or other similar, non-job-related solicitations. 2. Employees may not use the City’s E-mail system in any way that may be seen as insulting, disruptive, or offensive by other persons, or harmful to morale. Examples of forbidden transmissions include sexually-explicit messages, cartoons, or jokes; unwelcome propositions or love letters; ethnic or racial slurs; or any other message that can be construed to be harassment or disparagement of others based on their sex, race, sexual orientation, age, national original or religious or political beliefs. 3. Use of E-Mail to send copies of documents in violation of copyright laws. Policies and Procedures Manual Page 1 City Clerk/General Administration Department Technology Management Division Section 754.11 4. Use of the E-Mail system to compromise the integrity of the City or its business in any way. 5. Use of E-Mail to offer for sale non-City related items. E. Abuse of E-Mail Abuse of this medium by engaging in prohibited acts may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination. F. Accessibility of E-Mail The City E-Mail system is installed for the purpose of facilitating official City business. The system belongs to the City and the contents of E-mail communications are accessible at all times by the City for any business related or other purpose. These systems may be accessed at any time, with or without advance notice. Although you may have a personal password, your E-mail can be accessed by the City without your knowledge or consent. Nothing on the E-mail system, therefore, should be considered confidential. Moreover, all E-mail messages are subject to public records law and will be disclosed upon request in accordance with the law’s provisions. G. Retention of E-Mail 1. Florida’s public records law offers challenges to maintaining E-Mail, mainly because E-Mail documents are both informal and efficient. Most E-Mail users prefer to reduce or eliminate handling, filing and archiving tasks often associated with hard copy. Because of the differences in which E-Mail and hard copy are used, many E-Mail users do not have systems in place for periodically reviewing, storing or deleting E-Mail. Each employee is responsible for ensuring proper retention of E-mail messages in accordance with the public records law. The Technology Management Division does not retain a central repository of these messages. 2. Public record E-Mail can be deleted after it has been retained for the correct time period as determined by the public records retention schedules. A public record that is stored and accessible after this time is still a public record and must be produced upon request. A systematic deletion program not only eliminates obsolete documents from the files, but also saves resources by not indefinitely and unnecessarily storing information beyond appropriate time frames. 3. Although some periodic backup of E-Mail by the City of Orlando’s Technology Management Division may be done for various reasons, this backup is not designed to comply with the public records law. Employees must set up their own retention procedures to ensure compliance with the public records law. While methods for reviewing, storing or deleting E-Mail vary, employees may comply with retention requirements of the public records law by doing one of the following: a. Print the E-Mail and store the hard copy in the relevant subject matter file as you would any other hard-copy community. Printing the E-Mail permits you to keep the information on a particular subject matter in one central location, enhancing its historical and archival value. The employee must also determine if the incoming E-Mail must be printed before being deleted from his/her system. Policies and Procedures Manual Page 2 City Clerk/General Administration Department Technology Management Division Section 754.11 Policies and Procedures Manual Page 3 b. Electronically store public record E-Mail on your computer system and retain it electronically pursuant to retention schedules. Generally, correspondence, inter-department memoranda, and most fiscal and budget records must be retained for three years. Other items such as routine announcements, meeting notices and the like are retained until the administrative purpose is served. Any questions regarding retention can be directed to the Records and Archives Manager in the City Clerk’s Office. :5 FORMS: None. :6 COMMITTEE RESPONSIBILITIES: None. :7 REFERENCE: This procedure adopted by City Council September 23, 1996, Item 3 EE; amended September 8, 1997, Item 3-T; amended August 31, 1998, Item 3K; April 3, 2000, Item 2PPP; amended September 15, 2003. :8 EFFECTIVE DATE: This procedure effective September 15, 2003.