Can i sack someone for excessive internet usage

dmliverpool

ohreally wrote: »

With no policy, how is the employee supposed to understand what is acceptable behaviour?




Is this an excuse to dismiss?

Very good point. I would start the process of implementing a policy to show the people upstairs that you increased the productivity of the people you manage by restricting usage. In your regular supervision of the member of staff I would get to the bottom of what they are doing online. And then I would send a coherent message out to staff that a process is about to come into place with consultation so you don't get resistance.

On the other hand if this usage is threatening daily business and the integrity of the company it has to stop hence finding out what they are doing. For instance if this member of staff is using ebay they maybe running a business on the side which could be a conflict of interest you need to manage such risks and if you don't its you that will be sacked.

Also you would have to go through the disciplinary route which should give the staff member a chance to correct the error of their ways. You could pull rank and say that you instructed the member Of staff to do work things at the times you see regular usage and that way you could create a situation where the usage was at a time when you have instructions. I am evil :cool:

Bev._2

Googlewhacker wrote: »

Actually it could be deemed as breach of contract as I alluded to earlier and as someone on this board has got into trouble via as it could be down as falsifying time sheets if the person didn't declare the time they were on the net and didn't subtract it from working day hours.

Except we have a glaring problem here ... the OP has not returned. We have no response to anyones posts, no extra info, no nothing.
We don't know when this person was accessing these sites, we don't know IF this person was accessing these sites (i'm no network buff, but someone has already mentioned that hits can be recorded without the user having visited a hit site), we don't really know anything beyond the original post - which seems to indicate that there's an underlying problem & reading between the lines, OP seems to have a disliking (be it legitimate or otherwise) for this particular member of staff.

Are others doing it too, but OP may "like" these people & be letting them off. Who knows? We don't .... because OP hasn't returned to us yet.

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Surfing the net for personal use in your own time isn't illegal but it certainly should be in work time. I'm probably very naive that people need it to be written down to know that it's wrong.

No, i wouldn't say you're naive. Things have just got real silly these days. Everything has to be down in writing.

The good-bad old days weren't all bad.

mcduff16

Carl31 wrote: »

you could warn her that her excessive use has been noted, and that a disciplinary procedure maybe followed if she doesnt pull her socks up, but you cant just sack someone these days unless its extreme, like violence or stealing etc...

and as stated, if theres no policy, what rules is she breaking? the ones you have made up? i dont think that will stand up in court

Anyway, whats the problem with using the net? its no different from having a gossip in the tea room, you cant tell me that everyone goes to work 9-5 and does 100% work, 100% of the time, im not sure thats even healthy from a social sense

I agree with that last part. What about the smokers who take "fag breaks" every half an hour? Or people making cups of tea every half an hour?

scheming_gypsy

Torry_Quine wrote: »

Surfing the net for personal use in your own time isn't illegal but it certainly should be in work time..

it should be illegal?? really?

6 months with no chance of parole for checking the golf scores at work no doubt?

Torry_Quine

scheming_gypsy wrote: »

it should be illegal?? really?

6 months with no chance of parole for checking the golf scores at work no doubt?

Now you're just being silly, however no I don't think you should be looking up golf, cricket, tennis ,football or any other scores while you are meant to be working.

scheming_gypsy

that's not illegal then is it...

illegal is against the law and a criminal offence.

prowla

Sacking somebody for transgressing the unwritten laws seems like a good case for constructive dismissal.

They could easily respond that they have been provided with a facility and not been given an acceptable use policy.

Also, any application of these rules would have to apply across the board, including managerial staff, or that could cause issues and questions about favouritism or scapegoating.

There is also the question of time spent - does the worker put in extra hours, are they expected to work beyond their "normal" hours, etc.

The key thing is to put in place that ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY.

cinderfella

Put an internet policy into operation & make sure everyone knows about it.
I have worked for a boss like you & he thought I was telepathic. In other words he was a bl**dy fool and did'nt deserve the good staff he already had.

Bev._2

mcduff16 wrote: »

I agree with that last part. What about the smokers who take "fag breaks" every half an hour? Or people making cups of tea every half an hour?

Totally agree.

When my partner moved to the area, in her first job, the smokers were allowed to take fag breaks (the person running the show had had no training in how to manage people - they were run by a bigger company who just selected her & said get on with it), yet the non smokers had to work. They couldn't have a coffee break while the smokers were having a fag break (or indeed before/after).

Needless to say, she used this job as a stepping stone, just to get her feet on the ground for when she mvoed here & quickly got another job.

Googlewhacker wrote: »

However if there was a case as I stated in my first post if it were me I would talk to the person and make sure that there are internet usage policies in place!

I couldn't agree more.

The place i work for like to go in all guns blazing. I never like that approach. I think warning & sacking should be literally the final straw when all other options have been exhausted.

I much prefer the employer to talk it out first. IF this doesn't work THEN go through the disciplinary procedure.

Unfortunately some people get power-p1$$£d & just go hell-for-leather, warning & sacking left, right & centre.

yvonne13_2

Don't even get me started on smokers breaks