Ordinance on the Use of Internet and Email

Scope

This Ordinance regulates the use of the internet and e-mail and the prevention of their misuse with cantonal IT resources by employees of the Canton and its non-independent institutions.

**II. Usage Regulations**

Content Usage Restrictions

Internet pages with unlawful, pornographic, racist, sexist, or violence-glorifying content may neither be accessed nor used. Emails with such content may not be further distributed.

1 Prohibited is

a. the sending of chain letters,

b. the automatic forwarding of e-mails to external e-mail addresses,

c. the downloading or installation of games as well as audio and video files from the internet.

2 The Directorate may approve the downloading or installation of files within the meaning of para. 1 lit. c.

3 If network overload threatens due to extraordinary events, the central office may further restrict data traffic.

Technical

Restrictions

on Use

1. If employees use the internet or email for private purposes during working hours, they must limit themselves to a minimum and keep it brief.

2. The following are prohibited for private purposes

a. Storing official email addresses on the internet,

b. Sending emails that cause significant network load, particularly sending to a large recipient group or sending large data volumes,

c. Participating in interactive media, especially chatrooms.

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177.115 Ordinance on the Use of Internet and E-mail

Supplementary

Provisions

of the Directorates

Written

Declaration

The directorates may issue supplementary provisions and further restrict the private use of internet and e-mail.

1 All employees with internet or e-mail access must sign a declaration confirming that they have been made aware of the rules of use and have taken note of the possible criminal, civil, and employment law consequences of misuse of the internet and e-mail.

2 The declaration will be filed in the personnel file.

Operating Unit

Central Office

Anonymous

Reports

III. Organization

1. **Operator Units**

Operator units are the IT services responsible for operating the internet and email services.

2. It shall be ensured, by contract or directive, that the operator unit enables the legal and secure use of internet and email.

1 If an operating office is responsible for more than one department, the Government Council designates a central office.

2 The central office shall

a. decide on the blocking of internet sites;

b. order the personalized evaluation, if the conditions for it are met;

c. arrange for the unblocking of blocked internet sites at the request of a department.

3 The blocking and unblocking of internet sites shall take place in consultation with the departments concerned.

4 If an operating office exclusively provides its services for one department, the department shall assume the tasks of the central office.

Ordinance on the Use of the Internet and E-Mail

**IV. Misuse of Internet and E-Mail Services**

**177.115**

1 At the request of the Directorate, the operating units shall prepare Directorate- or office-specific reports providing information on the Internet addresses accessed, and where possible, on the time, number of accesses, and amount of data transferred.

2 The reports must not allow for conclusions to be drawn about individual employees. In particular, they must not reveal individual employees or individual workstations.

An abuse within the meaning of this Regulation consists of a violation of §§ 2, 3, 4 and against the supplementary provisions according to § 5.

The management informs the employees that henceforth, warnings regarding Internet access or e-mail traffic will be logged and evaluated on a personal basis if

a. in the case of Internet access, abuses of significant scope occur, or

b. in the case of e-mail traffic, a concrete suspicion of abuse exists.

1 After a warning has been issued, the Directorate may request

personal reports on internet access or e-mail traffic from the Central Personnel Office.

2 Personal reports may be created for a maximum of three months.

3 The operating unit provides the reports to the Directorate.

Reports

a. Order

1 Personal reports on Internet access contain

a. the name of the Internet user,

b. the accessed Internet addresses,

c. where possible, the time and number of accesses as well as the amount of data transferred.

2 Personal reports on e-mail traffic contain

a. the name of the e-mail user,

b. the accessed addresses,

c. the time of dispatch,

d. the data volume of outgoing e-mails.

1 The Directorate decides, on the basis of the personal reports, whether an administrative investigation will be conducted against the person concerned.

2 It communicates the decision to the person concerned.

If the Directorate decides not to conduct an administrative investigation, the personal reports and protocols will be destroyed after 30 days.

**Examination and Destruction**

**of Documents**

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177.115

Ordinance on the Use of Internet and E-Mail

V. Final Provisions

Entry into Force

This Ordinance shall enter into force on October 1, 2003.

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1 OS 58, 200.