Use of State Resources
State resources apply to all resources under an employee’s control including, but not limited, to university facilities, state employees, equipment (e.g. laptop computers, printers, cameras, cell phones, etc.), vehicles, consumable resources (paper, pens, postage, sticky notes, paperclips), and state information (e.g. databases and employee lists). The use of grant funds or other funds does not modify status as a state resource.
Prohibited Uses
State resources may not be used for the following:
Political activities (campaign/ballot measures), there is a limited exception for employee’s whose job includes performing political role on behalf of the University e.g. EWU Director of Governmental Relations.
Any use of resources for the purpose of assisting a campaign for election of a person to an office or for the promotion of or opposition to a ballot proposition. While an election or initiative is pending, employees are prohibited from using university resources to distribute newspaper articles, editorial opinions, blogs, tweets, etc. that would tend to support or oppose a candidate for public office, an initiative, or a referendum. Examples of prohibited activities include, but are not limited to: using work hours to solicit signature for ballot propositions, sending e-mails advocating for or against candidates, using University contact information to distribute materials, or using University property to campaign for or against a candidate or ballot measure. Faculty are permitted to distribute such materials for classroom instruction. Additionally, a supervisor’s knowing acquiescence to an employee’s use of state resources for campaigning purposes is a violation of the law. Any use of resources for the purpose of participating in or assisting in an effort to lobby members of congress, the state legislature or other federal or state agency representatives is prohibited.
Illegal activities. Illegal activities may include, but are not limited to, illegal discrimination, illegal pornography, copyright infringement, and license infringement.
Use resources for outside business/ commercial activities, even non-profit. This means University offices or laboratories may not be used as a place of business for an employee’s outside enterprise; University affiliations and titles may not be used in connection with an outside business in any manner which misrepresents the University’s association with that business; employees must clearly acknowledge the independent nature of their outside work from their University responsibilities; University stationery and other office or consumable supplies may not be used by an employee in the conduct of an outside business; University resources may not be used for product sales (online book sales or referral links to book publishers or sales houses), even though not for remuneration; University telephone numbers and addresses, including email and web addresses, may not be used or listed regarding an employee’s outside business or paid consulting.
Supporting, promoting or soliciting for an outside organization or groups. Any use for the purpose of supporting, promoting the interests of, or soliciting for an outside organization or group, including, but not limited to, a private business, a nonprofit organization, or a political party. Exception: Supporting an outside group is allowed if provided for by law or authorized by the University President or designee when such use promotes organizational effectiveness (e.g. conducting the Combined Fund Drive as authorized by law and approved by the President or designee; or organizing a campus blood drive when approved by the President or designee).
Personal use of state property outside university facilities. University property, including equipment, tools, materials and supplies may not be removed from university facilities and used by employees for personal or private activities, even if there is no cost to the state, i.e. use of University tools or equipment for home improvement projects. Taking university property for personal use, even property that is to be salvaged or disposed of, is prohibited unless an employee complies with all of the university’s surplus property procedures.
Specific Union Activities
Conduct that may directly conflict with the Ethics in Public Service Act, such as the use of state resources to support or oppose a ballot initiative, or a candidate to public office, or efforts to lobby on matters of interest to the Union are prohibited. Also prohibited are the use of state resources for Union activities that are not reasonably related to the negotiation and administration of collective bargaining agreements, such as Union organizing, internal Union business, or advocating for a Union in a certification, union shop, or other election.
Acceptable Personal Use
State resources may be used for personal use if de minimis and meets all of the following conditions:
- Little or no cost to state;
- Use brief in duration & infrequent;
- Does not interfere with the performance of the employee’s or other employee’s official duties
- Does not compromise security or integrity of property
- The use is not for the purpose of conducting an outside business, in furtherance of private employment, or to realize a financial gain; and
- Not for supporting, promoting the interest of or soliciting for an outside organization or group
Examples of permissible personal use include occasional and brief electronic communication with children, a local call to schedule a personal medical/dental appointment, child or elder care arrangements, transportation coordination or checking the medical, retirement or life insurance benefits you receive as a state employee.
The ability to use state resources for personal use also applies to breaks, lunch or after hours.
Note: if you create records in course of personal use, they are not confidential and could be subject to disclosure under Washington State’s Public Records law
Limited Use
- State resources may be used on a limited basis when such use:
- Occasional supporting, promotion, or solicitation for charitable activities approved in advance by the President or President’s designee. Persons appointed as the coordinator(s) for the Combined Fund Drive are permitted to use limited university resources for coordinating the drive;
- Employee recognition, including birthday, retirement, wedding/baby showers, or other similar celebrations;
- Carpool solicitations for commute trip reduction purposes;
- University sponsored health activities;
- Communication with other university employees to convey greetings and announcements, and to build interpersonal rapport (e.g., birthday greetings, birth/death announcements).
- Organization Effectiveness- promotes organizational effectiveness, including:
- Personal student classroom work that can reasonably be expected to enhance the employee’s job-related skills or promote organizational effectiveness, as determined by the supervisor, and done outside of normal work hours.
- Service activities as set forth below
- Limited team building activities approved in advance by a supervisor that enhance the work environment or employee morale.
- Service Activities. A limited amount of university resources may be used for participating in service activities that are approved in advance by an employee’s supervisor and appropriate vice president. All service activities must benefit the university or promote the university’s mission. All service activities must comply with the ethical responsibilities imposed by EWU Policy 901-01 (Ethical Standards) and the Ethics in Public Service Act. As service activities are part of an employee’s responsibility to the university, an employee cannot receive any compensation for such activity from an outside person or entity. In addition, use of university resources is not permitted if a service activity:
- Is for the private benefit or gain of an employee or family member, such as service for a for-profit entity on which the employee or employee’s family member serves as an officer or employee;
- Is for a nonprofit created by the employee or an employee’s family member or for a nonprofit/for-profit that is not reasonably related to the employee’s job responsibilities at EWU. Employees may not require students to perform service work for entities on which the employee or employee’s family member serves as an officer or employee, but they may provide students with a list of options for service work that includes an entity on which the employee or employee’s family member serves as an officer or employee.
Expectation of Privacy
There is no expectation of privacy with regard to the use of university technologies or the use of personal technology to conduct university business (e.g., emails, texts, social media posts, facsimile transmissions, voicemails, and websites visited). All records relating to university business, or created by university technology, may be preserved, collected, and/or disclosed when needed for legitimate state operational or management purposes, even if a person was using them for a personal use. Electronic mail, facsimile transmissions, and voicemail are technologies that may create an electronic record. Such records may be subject to disclosure under the public disclosure law, or may be disclosed for audit or legitimate state operational or management purposes.
References
EWU Policy 901-02: Appropriate Use of State Resources
