Chapter 16A- Personnel Policy Manual

SOCIAL MEDIA POLICY

This policy applies to social media use by employees, interns, and volunteers for work-related purposes and personal use of social media when the employee’s, intern’s, and volunteer’s  affiliation with Hillcrest Educational Centers (HEC) is identified, known, or presumed. Social media includes, but is not limited to, all means of communicating and posting of information or content in online forums, blogs, microblogs, wikis and vlogs (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, YouTube, Twitter, media sites or similar types of online forums).

 

This policy does not apply to an employee’s, intern’s, and volunteer’s personal use of social media where their association with HEC is not directly or indirectly disclosed or acknowledged, where they  engage in the activity using his or her own equipment, away from work and not on work time, AND where the posting does not relate to HEC.

 

This policy is divided into three subsections: (1) general use of social media; (2) work-related use of social media; and (3) personal use of social media. Violation of this policy may lead to disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

 

General Use of Social Media

 

Social media posts are not private. Everything you post online builds a record about you and your activities. When disclosing information on social media sites, consider the impact that those comments will have on you and HEC when read by coworkers, students, student’s parents/family members/guardians, and other interested parties.

 

All work-related use of social media and personal use of social media when your association with HEC is identified, known, or presumed shall be conducted consistent with the following:

  • You must comply with all HEC policies, rules, and guidelines, including, but not limited to the Code of Ethics, Professional Standards, the Harassment Policy, and the Personnel Manual.
  • All HEC confidentiality rules apply to social media posts.
  • Never refer to, describe or post pictures, videos, or other representations of employees, students, students’ parents/family members/guardians or others without their permission.
  • Do not post any material that is obscene, profane, libelous, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, malicious, abusive, hateful, or embarrassing to another person or entity.
  • Do not communicate with students (including former students). In the event that a student attempts to interact with an employee at HEC through social media, that employee is required to direct the student to use established, school-sanctioned channels, and the Administration must be informed of said interaction.

 

Work-Related Use of Social Media

 

In addition to the above policies for general use of social media, social media use for work-related purposes shall be conducted consistent with the following:

  • You may not use social media while on work time unless it is work-related.
  • You may not use your HEC email address to register on social media networks, blogs, or other online tools for personal use.
  • All social media activities engaged in with HEC’s resources, including computers or internet access, are subject to HEC’s control and discretion.
  • You will have no expectation of privacy when using these systems and no information is confidential from HEC.
  • HEC has the right to monitor and access social media activity conducted with HEC resources and the right to remove or revise any postings.
  • Information about coworkers, students (including former students), students’ parents/family members/guardians and other interested parties, must be protected at all times.
  • Information relating to these individuals and entities shall not be posted unless the Program Director provides preapproval.
  • You may not post internal reports, policies, procedures, or other internal work-related communications.
  • Posts shall comply with all federal and state laws including, but not limited to, those relating to copyright and information protection.
  • HEC will remove posts that do not comply with this policy.
  • HEC may also delete spam and comments when it deems appropriate.
  • If you are contacted for comments about HEC or its business, you must forward the request to the Executive Office. .

 

If HEC permits you to comment about HEC or any HEC-related activities, you must identify yourself and your relationship to HEC.

 

Personal Use of Social Media

 

When your association with HEC is identified, known, or presumed, you must comply with the above policies for general use of social media, as well as the following requirements:

 

If you directly or indirectly acknowledge an employment relationship and other affiliation with HEC within social media profiles (e.g., listing HEC as the current employer on the “About Me” section of a social media platform, blog, or website), you should add the following language: “The views expressed on this [blog, website etc.] are my own and do not reflect the views of my employer.”