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Board Adopted Policy
Policy Title Information Technology Systems Usage
Effective Date:03/14/2012
Review Cycle: three (3) years
Board Approval Date: 6/19/2014
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I. Application: Authority wide.
II. Intent: To provide guidelines to ensure that all employees are responsible, productive IT systems users and that they are protecting the Benzie Transportation Authority(BTA) public image, property, and information.
III. Definition: BTA Information Technology (IT) systems includes IT network, computer equipment, the internet, e-mail, telephone equipment, copiers and any other communications media that has been provided to staff members.
VI .Procedure: Employees have a responsibility to maintain and enhance BTA’s public image and to use the IT systems in a professional and productive manner.
1) General Guidelines:
a) An employee does not have a right to privacy in the use of any BTA communication systems.
b) An employee shall not share passwords with another person.
c) The general rules of behavior and communications shall apply when using any IT system.
d) Users may not use company equipment to perform or solicit the
performance of any activity, which is prohibited by law. BTA IT systems shall not be used for commercial purposes by any employees, or for advertisement or solicitation without prior written approval from the Executive Director.
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and/or been, attempted to be accessed as well as any and all messages and files on the IT systems.
f) The BTA is responsible for all IT equipment modifications and repairs. In the event the employee’s personal usage results in necessary repair to continue business practices or in the replacement of a severely damaged computer, the employee is responsible for the cost of restoring or
replacing it. 2) Acceptable Uses:
a) Employees accessing the IT systems are representing the BTA. All communications shall be for professional reasons. Employees are responsible for seeing that the Internet, e-mail and any other electronic media are used as tools to forward the mission of the BTA in an effective, ethical and lawful manner.
b) Internet relay chat channels and LISTSERVS may be used to conduct official agency business or to gain technical or analytical advice. Databases may be accessed when information is needed.
c) Employees are encouraged to utilize e-mail for business purposes as appropriate.
3) Unacceptable Uses:
a) The IT systems shall not be used for personal gain or advancement. Solicitation of non-BTA business, or any use of the IT systems for
personal gain, is strictly prohibited. Transmission of material, information or software in violation of any local, state or federal law is prohibited. 4) Employee responsibility:
a) Each employee is responsible for the contents of all text, audio, or images placed or sent via the IT systems. Fraudulent, harassing, or obscene messages are prohibited.
b) All messages communicated on the IT systems shall have the employee’s name attached. No messages will be transmitted under an assumed name. The employee will accept the responsibility of keeping copyrighted software of any kind from entering the BTA via the Internet.
5) Privacy:
3 6) Harassment of any kind is prohibited:
a) No messages with derogatory or inflammatory remarks about an individual’s race, religion, national origin, physical attributes, or sexual preference are to be transmitted.
7) Use of hardware and software:
a) The employee exercising the right to use hardware and software shall adhere to the following guidelines:
b) The employee exercising his/her right to use any hardware or software as a work resource shall also accept the responsibility for the preservation and care of that hardware and/or software.
c) Malicious use of the IT network to develop programs that harass other users or infiltrate a computer or computing system and/or damage the software components of a computer or computing system is prohibited. d) The illegal installation of copyrighted software for use on company
computers is prohibited.
e) Only designated staff may remove, relocate desktop units, modify or install any hardware or software for business or personal use.
f) It is the employee's responsibility to make sure no hardware or software is destroyed, modified, or abused in any way.
g) It is the employee's responsibility to keep programs of a viral nature off any agency equipment. The employee will be held accountable for any deliberate attempts to knowingly install and/or run a computer virus. h) Employees are to use extreme caution when bringing food and drinks into
any room containing computers or other electronic equipment to avoid spillage.
8) Use of printers/scanners/copiers:
a) The employee exercising the right to use a printer, scanner and/or copier shall adhere to the following guidelines:
b) It is an employee's responsibility to keep images containing pornographic material or material otherwise deemed inappropriate for work use from being printed or scanned.
c) Only designated staff may modify or relocate any printer or scanner. d) An employee may print or copy personal items for a fee per copy.
4 9) Use of Internet
a) Only those employees who have received training shall be authorized to use the internet. An employee exercising the right to use the internet shall adhere to the following guidelines:
b) Each user is responsible for all files received via internet. It is a user's responsibility to make sure no copyrighted software enters the company via modem.
c) It is a user's responsibility to keep pornographic material, inappropriate text files, and files known to carry harmful viruses off company premises. d) Only designated staff may remove, relocate, or modify existing modems.
