/cdklawyers.com// 12/01/2010

Many Americans dive into the holiday season with enthusiasm and many also try to complete their online shopping while at work.  Yet employees who shop online while at work not only reduce productivity, but they also put company computers at risk for viruses, spam and other Internet-born ills.  What can an employer do to curb online shopping by employees?

As an initial matter, most employers should implement basic security measures designed to prevent confidential company information from disclosure and to protect company computers from attack.  To address employee Internet use, an employer may enforce a policy that prevents employees from accessing certain websites from company computers.  If this approach is not feasible, an employer may enforce a policy that discourages employees from shopping online and that requires them to follow procedures designed to protect the company’s computers.  Regardless of which approach an employer takes, an employer should educate its employees about its computer usage policy, enforce the policy consistently, issue reminders to employees when necessary (such as at the start of the holiday season), periodically monitor employee compliance and update the policy as necessary.

The Dallas, Texas employment law attorneys at Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP help employers with workplace legal issues.  For assistance with creating a computer usage employment policy or for help with another legal issue involving employees, contact the employment lawyers at Clouse Dunn Khoshbin LLP at [email protected].

Press Release Contact Information:

KEITH A. CLOUSE

Clouse Dunn
Khoshbin LLP

214.220.2722
214.220.3833 ( fax)
[email protected]