Using work email

[Fireman Sam]

My friend works for the NHS and has been using her work email to send attachments she has found on the Internet to colleagues and friends. I told her that using her work email, paid for by the taxpayer, is against the law. She claims she is doing nothing wrong, even though some of the attachments are of an adult nature. Who is right? I fear she might be fired.

[stevie21]

Not sure it's against the law but in my work it's definitely against company policy.
There have been a few stories of people being disciplined and sacked in the private sector for this.

[Lonnie]

stevie21 is right in what he says, I think the real problem is not so much the content, although that could bring her to the notice of her bosses quicker, its using her companies time and recources for private uses, when she should be doing her paid work. No matter how innofensive the material, if she carries on, she could be looking at some sort of disciplinary action.

[vehelpfulguy]

The other major problem is that she could bring a virus (computer not medical) into the place where she works.

Some external files contain viruses, and she could be responsible for briniging it into the whole of the NHS if it spreads round.

If she does this, and they find she has also been sending dodgy e-mail around it could be sackable.