INTERNET POLICY
Policy Number: APEXIT01
Policy Dated: March 16, 2004
This policy describes guidelines for APEX Analytix, herein referred to as the “Company,” with
regard to Internet access and disclosure of electronic mail messages sent or received by
COMPANY employees with use of the COMPANY e-mail system. The COMPANY respects the
individual privacy of its employees. However, employee privacy does not extend to the
employee’s work-related conduct or to the use of company-provided equipment or supplies. You
should be aware that the following guidelines might affect your privacy in the workplace.
PROVISION OF INTERNET ACCESS:
As a condition of providing Internet access to its employees, COMPANY places certain
restrictions on workplace use of the Internet. The COMPANY encourages employee use of the
Internet:
➢ to communicate with fellow employees and clients regarding matters within an
employee’s assigned duties;
➢ to acquire information related to, or designed to facilitate the performance of
regular assigned duties; and
➢ to facilitate performance of any task or project in a manner approved by an
employee’s Manager.
COMPLIANCE WITH APPLICABLE LAWS AND LICENSES:
Employees must comply with all software licenses, copyrights, and all other laws governing
intellectual property and online activity. It is PROHIBITED to add any programs, including screen
savers, instant messaging and other related programs, whether from disk or Internet downloads,
without the EXPRESS WRITTEN CONSENT of the Systems Manager for COMPANY. Screen
savers will be standardized for professional image with a uniform COMPANY Logo. Download of
Audio/ Video segments from the Internet will be only done when directly applicable to your job
function and must have prior approval by the Systems Manager for COMPANY
Please be advised that your use of the Internet access, provided by the COMPANY, expressly
prohibits the following:
➢ Game playing
➢ Distribution of destructive programs (i.e., viruses and/or self-replicating code)
➢ Hateful, harassing, or other anti-social behavior
➢ Intentional damage or interference with others (for example, hacking and
distributing viruses)
➢ Making publicly accessible obscene files
➢ Solicitation
➢ Commercial usage of non-company business
➢ Dissemination or printing of copyrighted materials (including articles and
software) in violation of copyright laws.
➢ Sending, receiving, printing or otherwise disseminating proprietary data, trade
secrets or other confidential information of the COMPANY in violation of company
policy or proprietary agreements.
➢ Offensive or harassing statements or language including disparagement of others
based on their race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability,
religious or political beliefs.
➢ Sending or soliciting sexually oriented messages or images.
➢ Operating a business, usurping business opportunities or soliciting money for
personal gain, or searching for jobs outside the COMPANY
➢ Sending chain letters, gambling or engaging in any other activity in violation of the
law
➢ Downloading of music files from the Internet
➢ No employee is permitted to access personal email accounts i.e. yahoo mail,
hotmail, AOL, etc. with company owned equipment
Violation of the COMPANY’s Internet Acceptable Use Policy may include disciplinary action.
The measure of discipline will correspond to the gravity of the offense as weighed by its potential
effect on the COMPANY and fellow employees. See Discipline Policy in Employee Handbook.
When you connect to the Internet using a COMPANY address designation, it should be for a
COMPANY business related activity.
MANAGEMENT RIGHT TO ACCESS INFORMATION
The electronic mail system has been installed by the COMPANY to facilitate business
communications. Although each employee has an individual password to access this system, it
belongs to the COMPANY and the contents of e-mail communications are accessible at all times
by COMPANY management for any business purpose. These systems may be subject to
periodic unannounced inspections, and should be treated like other shared filing systems. All
system passwords and encryption keys must be available to the COMPANY management, and
your passwords or encryption keys must be available to your Manager if so requested. This will
not be a “routine” procedure, but should be known that it is within the company’s rights.
All e-mail messages are company records. The contents of e-mail, properly obtained for
legitimate business purposes, may be disclosed within the COMPANY without your permission.
Therefore, you should not assume that messages are confidential. Back-up copies of e-mail may
be maintained and referenced for business and legal reasons.
PERSONAL USE OF E-MAIL
Because the COMPANY provides the electronic mail system to assist you in the performance of
your job, you should use it for official COMPANY business. Incidental and occasional personal
use of e-mail is permitted by the COMPANY, but these messages will be treated the same as
other messages. The COMPANY reserves the right to access and disclose as necessary all
messages sent or received over its e-mail system, without regard to content. Since your personal
messages can be accessed by the COMPANY management without prior notice, you should not
use e-mail to transmit any messages you would not want read by a third party. Worldwide e-mail
messages may be sent only with prior approval from the President, CEO and/or the VP of
Operations.
PASSWORD AND ENCRYPTION KEY SECURITY AND INTEGRITY
Employees are prohibited from the unauthorized use of the passwords and encryption keys of
other employees to gain access to the other employee’s e-mail messages.
VIRUS DETECTION
All material downloaded from the Internet or from computers or networks MUST be scanned for
viruses and other destructive programs before being placed onto the COMPANY’s computer
system.
WAIVER OF PRIVACY
The COMPANY has the right, but not the duty, to monitor any and all aspects of its computer
system, including, but not limited to, monitoring sites employees visit on the Internet, reviewing
material downloaded or uploaded by employees, and reviewing e-mail sent and received by
employees. Employees waive any right to privacy in anything they create, store, send, or receive
on the computer or the Internet.
AMENDMENTS
This Policy may be amended or revised from time-to-time. Employees will be provided with
notice of all amendments and revisions to this Policy.
I have read this policy and understand my responsibilities therein.
