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<br />. . <br /> <br />. An employee displays sexually graphic material that is downloaded from the Internet <br />onto a computer monitor that can be viewed by other employees or third parties. <br /> <br />. An employee pursues a relationship with another employee by sending repeated and <br />unwanted e-mail to that employee. <br /> <br />. An employee displays a "screen saver" on his or her computer terminal that contains <br />offensive language or images. <br /> <br />Case example: <br />Daniels v. Worldcom Coru. Worldcom Communication InCh 1998 WL 91261, 5 <br />(N.D.Tex. Feb. 23, 1998) <br />Some employees used the company's e-mail system to distribute racist jokes. Within 10 <br />days of receiving an employee complaint, the employer organized two meetings to <br />discuss proper use of the company's e-mail system. The company also verbally <br />reprimanded the improper user. An employee later sued based on this incident, but the <br />court ruled in favor of the employer. <br /> <br />Reducing the risk of liability from harassment claims <br /> <br />Cities can reduce the risk of liability from harassment claims by adopting a policy relating to <br />employee use of technology and the Internet that prohibits harassment and by taking appropriate <br />action upon receipt of complaints. There are several statements that a city may want to include <br />in its policy. <br /> <br />. Both the City's technology policy and harassment policy should prohibit the use of e-mail <br />and the Internet for harassment. Prohibit employees from using sexually explicit words <br />and images, ethnic slurs, racial epithets, religious or political statements or anything else <br />that could be construed as harassment or discrimination based on race, religion, age, <br />national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability, marital status or other classification <br />protected by state and federal law . <br /> <br />. Prohibit employees from sending unwanted and repeated e-mail to other employees or <br />third parties. <br /> <br />. State that the City will monitor employee e-mail, computer files and Internet use as it <br />determines necessary and may disclose information from those sources to third parties <br />without providing notice to employees. <br /> <br />. Specify a procedure for reporting inappropriate use of e-mail and the Internet (you may <br />want to incorporate the reporting procedure in your sexual harassment policy). <br /> <br />· Prohibit employees from using profanity or derogatory remarks in e-mail <br />cornmwtications even when in jest. <br /> <br />4 <br />