Why is OPM Issuing This Policy? | What Do the Terms in This Policy Mean? | What is the Policy? | Is the limited personal use of Government office equipment private? | How can I avoid the appearance that my personal use is in my official capacity? | What are some examples of inappropriate use? | What are the penalties for misuse of Government equipment? | Who is Covered by This Policy? | How can I Protect the Security of OPM’s Systems? | What References Apply to This Policy?

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I.   Why is OPM Issuing This Policy?

This document provides the Office of Personnel Management’s (OPM) policy permitting limited personal use of Government office equipment. It replaces Information Technology Circular-1, Information Technology Use Policy, issued on August 19, 1996. This new policy is based on the model policy developed and approved by the Federal Government’s Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council in May 1999.

You have new privileges and responsibilities under this policy. The intent is to provide you with a professional and supportive work environment while meeting taxpayer expectations that tax dollars will be spent wisely. By authorizing limited personal use of Government office equipment, OPM assumes that you are a responsible individual, capable of balancing this privilege with the expectations of American taxpayers.

This policy does not supersede any other applicable law or regulation. Authorities related to this policy are listed in Section VI.

II.   What Do the Terms in This Policy Mean?

Government office equipment includes, but is not limited to: personal computers, related equipment and software, Internet services, email, library resources, telephones, facsimile machines, photocopiers and office supplies.

Minimal additional expense means the expense incurred when the Government is already providing equipment, supplies or services and you use only limited additional amounts of electricity, ink, toner or paper. Wear and tear from normal use is also considered minimal additional expense.

Non-work time means the time when you are not performing an activity for the benefit of the agency and under the control or direction of the agency. Examples of non-work time include off-duty hours such as lunch periods, authorized breaks, before or after a workday, weekends or holidays, but only if your duty station would normally be available to you at such times.

Personal use means uses other than official Government business.

Privilege means that you have no inherent right to personal use of Government office equipment.

III.   What is the Policy?

You may use Government office equipment only for authorized purposes. Limited personal use is authorized as follows:

• Limited personal use is only authorized if it involves minimal additional expense to the Government.
• You are authorized to make limited personal use of Government office equipment during non-work time.
• This use must not reduce your productivity or interfere with your official duties or the official duties of others.
• You must be authorized to use equipment for official Government business before it is available to you for limited personal use. Furthermore, OPM is not required to supply you with equipment if it is not required for you to perform official Government business.
• Managers and supervisors may further restrict personal use based on the needs of the office or problems with inappropriate use in the office. In such cases affecting bargaining unit employees, the union will be notified.

A.   Is the limited personal use of Government office equipment private?

No. You do not have the right to privacy while using any Government office equipment, including Internet or email services. Furthermore, your use of Government office equipment, for whatever purpose, is not secure, private or anonymous. While using Government office equipment, your use may be monitored or recorded. If Government office equipment or services are involved at any point in the transmission or receipt of personal information, then this policy applies and your use may be monitored. For example, if you use a Government PC to read or respond to personal email sent to you at a non-Government email address (e.g., AOL, Yahoo), your use may be monitored.

Business telephone calls may be monitored or recorded for legitimate business purposes such as providing training, instruction or protection against abusive calls. Personal phone conversations and business telephone calls will not be routinely monitored. Before OPM institutes a policy to routinely monitor employees’ personal or business phone conversations, OPM will notify the union.

B.   How can I avoid the appearance that my personal use is in my official capacity?

You must ensure that your personal use does not give the appearance that you are acting in an official capacity. For example, you may not post OPM information to external news groups, bulletin boards or other public forums without OPM authorization. Further, you must not give the appearance that OPM endorses or sanctions your personal activities. If your actions leave the impression that your personal activities are endorsed by OPM, you may be in violation of the standards of ethical conduct for executive branch employees.

If there is any potential for confusion, you should provide an appropriate disclaimer. Here is an example of a disclaimer: "The content of this message is mine personally and does not reflect any position of the Government or of OPM."

C.   What are some examples of inappropriate personal uses?

You must not use Government office equipment for activities that are inappropriate. If you have questions about appropriate use, consult with your supervisor or the Office of the Chief Information Officer. If you receive an email message that harasses or threatens you, report it as soon as possible to your supervisor for technical or managerial follow up.

Examples of inappropriate activities include:

• Using large files. Your activities might reduce the effectiveness of an OPM system if you use large files. For example, sending or receiving greeting cards, video, sound, interactive games or other large file attachments may hinder the performance of an entire network. You should not subscribe to Internet services that automatically download information, such as sports scores, stock prices or other continuous data streams, such as music or videos.
• Loading personal software onto your computer or making configuration changes. For example, computer games, personal tax programs and personal schedulers may not be loaded on OPM computers.
• Engaging in email practices that involve ongoing message receipt and transmission, referred to as "instant messaging."
• Making long distance telephone calls. There are three exceptions:
• in an emergency,
• brief calls within the local commuting area to locations that can only be reached during working hours (e.g., car repair shop, doctor), and
• brief calls home within the local commuting area (e.g., to arrange transportation, check on a sick child).
• Using Government equipment as a staging ground or platform to gain unauthorized access to other systems.
• Creating, copying or transmitting chain letters or other mass mailings, regardless of the subject matter.
• Creating, copying or transmitting any material or communication that is illegal or offensive to fellow employees or to the public, such as hate speech, material that ridicules others based on race, creed, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or sexual orientation.
• Viewing, downloading, storing, transmitting or copying materials that are sexually explicit or sexually oriented, related to gambling, illegal weapons, terrorist activities or any other prohibited activities.
• Using Government office equipment for commercial purposes or in support of other "for profit" activities such as outside employment or businesses (e.g., selling real estate, preparing tax returns for a fee).
• Engaging in any outside fund raising activity, endorsing any product or service, participating in lobbying or prohibited partisan political activity (e.g., expressing opinions about candidates, distributing campaign literature).
• Acquiring, reproducing, transmitting, distributing or using any controlled information including computer software and data, protected by copyright, trademark, privacy laws, other proprietary data or material with other intellectual property rights beyond fair use, or export-controlled software or data.

D.   What are the penalties for misuse of Government equipment?

Unauthorized or inappropriate use of Government office equipment may result in the loss or limitation of your privilege. You may also face administrative action ranging from counseling to removal from the Agency, as well as any criminal penalties or financial liability, depending on the severity of the misuse.

IV.   Who is Covered by This Policy?

All OPM employees are covered by this policy.

If you are already an OPM employee, you will receive a copy of this policy and attend a computer security awareness training session where the policy will be explained. If you are a new employee, you will receive a copy of this policy and an explanation of its contents as part of your orientation.

If you are a representative of AFGE Local 32 or 2450, you may use supplied Government equipment for union business, as specified in OPM’s collective bargaining unit agreements. This use is considered official. When you are not engaged in your official union duties or OPM official business, this policy applies.

If you are a member of an employee organization (e.g., BIG, GLOBE, Toastmasters), you may use Government office equipment in accordance with this policy.

Contractors are not authorized limited personal use of Government office equipment, unless it is specifically permitted by contract or other memoranda of agreement.

V.   How can I Protect the Security of OPM’s Systems?

If you are using Government office equipment, particularly computer systems, you share the responsibility for protecting the security of this equipment with all other users. You must be aware of and follow appropriate security provisions concerning logging on or off OPM computer systems and networks. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your password and for all data that you place on or delete from an OPM computer. Because most OPM computers and systems are protected from unauthorized users by passwords, it is particularly critical that you not divulge your password to anyone.

You should report all security breaches, including compromised passwords, to your supervisor.

VI. What References Apply to This Policy?

Here are the references supporting this policy and the Web locations where they can be found:

5 U.S.C. § 1103(a)(3)	Departmental regulations URL: www.access.gpo.gov
5 C.F.R. § 2635	Standards of ethical conduct for employees of the executive branch URL: www.access.gpo.gov
41 C.F.R. § 101-35.201	Authorized use of long distance telephone services. URL: www.access.gpo.gov
E.O. 12674/12731	Principles of ethical conduct for Government officers and employees URL: www.usoge.gov/usoge006.html
E.O. 13011	Federal information technology URL: www.whitehouse.gov/wh/html/library.html
N/A	Recommended Executive Branch Model Policy/Guidance on Limited Personal Use of Government Office Equipment including Information Technology URL: www.cio.gov/files/peruse.pdf

This policy on limited personal use of Government office equipment is effective upon issuance and will remain in effect for all OPM employees until superceded or rescinded.

Janet L. Barnes
Chief Information Officer
Phone: 202-606-2150
June 15, 2000

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