Good news for those who DIS while working!!!

[kdibattista]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060424/ap_on_hi_te/internet_surfing

NEW YORK - Saying surfing the web is equivalent to reading a newspaper or talking on the phone, an administrative law judge has suggested that only a reprimand is appropriate as punishment for a city worker accused of failing to heed warnings to stay off the Internet.

Administrative Law Judge John Spooner reached his decision in the case of Toquir Choudhri, a 14-year veteran of the Department of Education who had been accused of ignoring supervisors who told him to stop browsing the Internet at work.

The ruling came after Mayor Michael Bloomberg fired a worker in the city's legislative office in Albany earlier this year after he saw the man playing a game of solitaire on his computer.

In his decision, Spooner wrote: "It should be observed that the Internet has become the modern equivalent of a telephone or a daily newspaper, providing a combination of communication and information that most employees use as frequently in their personal lives as for their work."

He added: "For this reason, city agencies permit workers to use a telephone for personal calls, so long as this does not interfere with their overall work performance. Many agencies apply the same standard to the use of the Internet for personal purposes."

Spooner dispensed the lightest possible punishment on Choudhri, a reprimand, after a search of Choudhri's computer files revealed he had visited several news and travel sites.

Martin Druyan, Choudhri's lawyer, called the ruling "very reasonable."

 

[CathrynRose]

Thaaaaaanks! ***printing for future reference***

 

[wvjovifan]

woo hoo!!!
I'm at work right now...totally bored...The Dis get me through the day!!!!

 

[MorganLeFey]

Keep in mind that this decision was rendered with respect to a public employee. there are very strict rules about disciplining and/or firing public employees in New York. the administrative judge's decision doesn't apply in the private sector.

 

[wvjovifan]

Well I am just biding my time till I collect my severance package in December any way....we are usually pretty much finished our assigned work by 10:30 am and we try to "look busy" till 4:15.....so the Dis helps me pass my day!

 

[4myson]

Very Cool. I printed a copy of the article - just in case.