Privacy in the workplace

Horace Greeley hgreeley@leland.Stanford.EDU
Wed Sep 16 11:31 MDT 1998


Mike and List,

At 11:02 AM 9/16/1998 +0000, you wrote:
>    Here in Michigan we have a law that says any school or university
>worker covered under state retirement plan and convicted of a
>misdemeanor connected with thier job can lose all of their retirement
>benefits.  If I surf the net or use this machine for personal e-mail, is
>there a record so that they could say I was "stealing university
>computer time" therefore lose all my retirement?  I wouldn't put it past
>them!!

Mike, you asking a question which requires legal advise, which I cannot
legally give.

At the same time, the way things _seem_ to be working in CA, there
would seem to be that potential.

More importantly, your last comment is the one which hits the nail on
its proverbial head - much of the definition of this kind of thing
is only made _during_ litigation, not previously.  So the question
becomes one of, "and, just how many risks are you prepared to take?"

The chances of your scenario unfolding?  Hopefully, pretty darn slim.
Practically, as in art, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and much
depends on the level of sophistication of one's supervisor.

I am glad that this thread has generated some interest.  We take many
things for granted in the U.S.  Unfortunately, since 1981, there has
been a tremendous erosion of rights ostensibly guaranteed under the
U.S. Constitution.  While the changes have affected most of the
Amendments, those most noticably compromised include:  Freedom of
Speech/Religion/etc (1st.); Illegal search and seizure, warrants,
etc (4th.); and, Self-incrimination, double jeopardy, due process, etc
(5th.).  Most of these changes have been generated not through
legislative process, but rather as a result of Congressional
support/inaction in re: administrative orders and directives.  

Oh, well.

I see that it is time to go.

Best.

Horace

 


Horace Greeley, CNA, MCP, RPT

Systems Analyst/Engineer
Controller's Office
Stanford University

email: hgreeley@leland.stanford.edu
voice mail: 650.725.9062
fax: 650.725.8014


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