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Model e-Facilities Agreement

Access to electronic mail
1. Amicus representatives have the right to use the corporate e-mail system for works council/trade union purposes, to send and receive e-mails both internally and externally. This shall include the right to send e-mail communications to all employees, subject to this right being exercised reasonably. There shall be a further right to operate electronic bulletin board or discussion list services within the corporate e-mail service, provided such facilities are technically possible.
2. Employees have the right to use the corporate e-mail system to communicate with their Amicus representatives and officials.
3. Employees are permitted to use the e-mail service for non-business use during business hours to send and receive individual e-mails both internally and externally provided that this is not detrimental to their job responsibilities.
4. The employer undertakes that e-mail will not be routinely read or monitored. E-mail will be monitored and retrieved only if the employer is legally obliged to do so or has reasonable reason to believe that an employee has committed a criminal offence or serious disciplinary offence or is in breach of this agreement. In these situations, email will be monitored and retrieved only in the presence of Amicus representatives.
5. The right of employees to send and receive e-mails is subject to the following conditions:
  1. E-mail sent must be lawful and not include defamatory or libellous statements.
  2. E-mail shall not be used as a means of sexually harassing other members of staff. E-mail shall not be used for sending offensive comments based on an individual's gender, age, sexuality, race, disability or appearance.
  3. If required by the employer, personal e-mail sent both internally and externally shall include a disclaimer to the effect that the views expressed are those of the author's alone and not necessarily those of the company.
Access to the Internet
1. Amicus representatives have the right to access the Internet through the company server
2. Amicus representatives have the right to create their own web site using facilities on the company's Intranet or Internet server, provided such facilities are technically available. Amicus will have the right to include such material as it feels is appropriate on its web site.
3. Limited non-business use of the Internet by employees is permitted during business hours, provided that it does not interfere with job responsibilities.
4. The employer reserves the right to monitor use of the Internet by employees and, if necessary, prevent them having access to it if they feel that it is being used excessively for purposes unconnected to work and/or if it is interfering with job responsibilities.
5. Employees have the right to access Intranet or Internet sites run by Amicus and other sites which are concerned with employment issues, health and safety, equality issues or other matters relevant to their rights at work. Employees have the right to participate in Internet based newsgroups (such as Usenet newsgroups) relating to these issues.
6. It is not permitted knowingly to access web sites with sexual or pornographic material, or those which promote or encourage racism or intolerance.