MONROE - How - and how much - can the City of Monroe control their employee's use of social media?
That's the question the city will be asking in coming weeks, as it prepares to implement a policy covering many aspects of communication and technology.
The Salary and Personnel Committee last week perused a copy of a proposed policy on personal use of social media and sent it back to City Administrator Phil Rath, requesting further study and more examples of policies from other municipalities and private companies.
Rath said the policy is an attempt to resolve an issue that's come with the blurring of personal and professional lives, even after working hours. Another driver is the need to protect the city as an employer, while still preserving an employee's First Amendment rights.
People may disagree on a city issue, "but you have to be careful if you blog that your personal opinion isn't seen as (that of) the administrator of the city," Rath said, using his position as an example.
The four-paragraph proposed policy, drafted by Attorney Dan Barker at Rath's request, raised several questions from committee members, who recognized the increasing use of communication technologies.
"With technology, this is going to get worse," committee member Dan Henke said.
Members inquired about current policies regarding employees' use of personal and city-owned telephones for personal reasons on city time. But, at least initially, they got little response from Rath or department heads, except to learn that cell phone use while driving is prohibited.
Dan Henke pointed out that parents, who used to get phone calls from their children, now use Facebook or Twitter to make contact with family members. Michael Boyce said Internet sites can now be accessed by cell phones, "not even using city equipment."
Thurston Hanson said the city needs to have such a policy, but putting forward what was presented to the committee was "premature, before talking about doing personal business at work."
Hanson and Boyce also noted the lack of repercussions for violating the policy. The proposed policy does state, "...depending upon the circumstances, employees may face discipline or termination if their activities are likely to negatively impact the City's mission or its functions."
According to Rath, the policy wording is general in nature and only urges employees to "use their best judgment."
The proposed policy "urges employees to use sound judgment and common sense in all of their activities, whether online or not," and that they "should be sensitive to how their communications and activities may reflect on the city."
The policy states that it is not intended to prohibit employees from engaging in lawfully-protected concerted activities; from making protected statements and reports to proper authorities; or from exercising their protected First Amendment rights.
According to Rath, the new policy is being considered in light of an incident last year, in which two city employees posted pictures on Facebook. Because of the subject matter in the pictures, those actions were not in the best interest of the city, Rath said.
The issue of social media use is coming through the Salary and Personnel Committee - as a city policy change - and is not subject to bargaining in union contract negotiations, according to Rath.
That's the question the city will be asking in coming weeks, as it prepares to implement a policy covering many aspects of communication and technology.
The Salary and Personnel Committee last week perused a copy of a proposed policy on personal use of social media and sent it back to City Administrator Phil Rath, requesting further study and more examples of policies from other municipalities and private companies.
Rath said the policy is an attempt to resolve an issue that's come with the blurring of personal and professional lives, even after working hours. Another driver is the need to protect the city as an employer, while still preserving an employee's First Amendment rights.
People may disagree on a city issue, "but you have to be careful if you blog that your personal opinion isn't seen as (that of) the administrator of the city," Rath said, using his position as an example.
The four-paragraph proposed policy, drafted by Attorney Dan Barker at Rath's request, raised several questions from committee members, who recognized the increasing use of communication technologies.
"With technology, this is going to get worse," committee member Dan Henke said.
Members inquired about current policies regarding employees' use of personal and city-owned telephones for personal reasons on city time. But, at least initially, they got little response from Rath or department heads, except to learn that cell phone use while driving is prohibited.
Dan Henke pointed out that parents, who used to get phone calls from their children, now use Facebook or Twitter to make contact with family members. Michael Boyce said Internet sites can now be accessed by cell phones, "not even using city equipment."
Thurston Hanson said the city needs to have such a policy, but putting forward what was presented to the committee was "premature, before talking about doing personal business at work."
Hanson and Boyce also noted the lack of repercussions for violating the policy. The proposed policy does state, "...depending upon the circumstances, employees may face discipline or termination if their activities are likely to negatively impact the City's mission or its functions."
According to Rath, the policy wording is general in nature and only urges employees to "use their best judgment."
The proposed policy "urges employees to use sound judgment and common sense in all of their activities, whether online or not," and that they "should be sensitive to how their communications and activities may reflect on the city."
The policy states that it is not intended to prohibit employees from engaging in lawfully-protected concerted activities; from making protected statements and reports to proper authorities; or from exercising their protected First Amendment rights.
According to Rath, the new policy is being considered in light of an incident last year, in which two city employees posted pictures on Facebook. Because of the subject matter in the pictures, those actions were not in the best interest of the city, Rath said.
The issue of social media use is coming through the Salary and Personnel Committee - as a city policy change - and is not subject to bargaining in union contract negotiations, according to Rath.