Email: Etiquette and Proper Use

United States Department of the Interior
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Wyoming State Office
P.O. Box 1828
IN REPLY REFER TO: Cheyenne, Wyoming 82009-1828
1264 (953) P
August 20, 2010
EMS Transmission: August 20, 2010
Instruction Memorandum No. WY-2010-045
Expires 09/30/2011
To: All Employees
From: Associate State Director
Subject: Email: Etiquette and Proper Use
Email is a powerful tool which, when used effectively, increases efficiency and productivity in the
workplace. Email is used to communicate with the public sector, with co-workers and with other
BLM offices. Email messages reflect positively or negatively upon both the organization and the
individual.
Email plays an important role in our daily communication with our customers, and as such
establishes the perception of BLM.
The following guidance is provided to assist employees in the proper use of Email. Employees are
responsible for reading and implementing this policy.
· Employees will use common courtesy and treat others with respect and consideration at all
times. Attachment 1 provides information designed to help practice proper “netiquette.”
· Email messages will not contain any materials (text or graphics) which exceed the bounds
of generally accepted standards of good taste and ethics or be offensive to others.
Examples of unacceptable materials include crude jokes; disparaging remarks based on
race, religion, etc.; pornographic/lewd graphics.
· Chain letters will not be originated or forwarded by any Wyoming BLM employee.
Employees receiving a chain letter will delete it and are encouraged to inform the sender
that such messages are not welcome.
· Employees will use discretion in deciding whether to send Email messages to large
groups of co-workers, as can be done by using Lotus Notes “Group” addresses such as
“WY ALL.” Messages should be sent to large groups of co-workers only when warranted
2
· and only when it is clear that all employees have a need to know the content of the
message. The email system should not be treated as a “Wyoming BLM Intranet Chat
Room,” and personal opinions regarding specific issues should not be “cc’d” to all
employees in an office or several offices, even when a forum has been provided.
Employees have complained about the over use of WY ALL Email discussions.
· Employees are responsible for activities conducted under their individual User ID.
Employees are not to share their User ID or password with anyone. To ensure this security
measure, employees must “lock” their work station as required under BLM IT Security
Handbook H-1264-1, Part IV, Section IV.B.2.h, which states:
“Users must use lockout procedures when away from the workstation.
Screen savers should be enabled and set to automatically engage after ten minutes
or less of inactivity. Reentry of the password shall be required to return to the
desktop from the screen saver. Users must log out of workstations at the end of
their workday. Workstations should remain on to enable remote administration.”
This is an easy and quick task.
· Email traffic is subject to monitoring at the local and national level.
· Employees are to use the electronic Bulletin Board for the sale of personal items such as:
vehicles, furniture, etc. The Bulletin Board is on BLM Wyoming Online (Intranet). Items
can be posted on the Bulletin Board by sending an email message in Lotus Notes to WY
WebTeam.
The general rules of conduct contained in the Wyoming BLM “Zero Tolerance Policy of Internet
Misuse," IM No. WY-2009-007, also apply to the use of Email. Management reserves the right to
limit or eliminate Email use by any employee found to be in violation of this policy. The Internet
and Email are provided to assist in the accomplishment of work.
These guidelines reflect common sense for the vast majority of employees and will not alter the
manner in which the Email system is used.
If you have any questions, please contact Missy Cook, Personnel Management Specialist, at
307-775-6352.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Ruth Welch Pamela D. Hernandez
Associate State Director Secretary, Division of Support Services
1 Attachment:
1 - Netiquette (3 pp)
Distribution
Director (700), Rm. 5613, MIB 1 w/o atch.
CF 1 w/atch.