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ST. LOUIS COUNTY COMPUTER POLICY
I. Introduction
St. Louis County utilizes computers and computer systems in the work place to
facilitate communications, improve employee productivity, and fulfill its
government functions. It is the intent of this policy to provide an overall
framework for computer usage within St. Louis County.
II. Scope
A. Management Rights
St. Louis County is the owner of the computer systems it provides to its
employees to conduct County business. St. Louis County, as the owner of
this equipment and the employer of the County employees, is responsible
for the lawful and appropriate use of the County’s systems. Accordingly,
the County must maintain the right to oversee use of the County systems
by County employees to protect ownership rights to the systems and to
prevent illegal or inappropriate use of the systems.
B. Public Rights
Information contained on the County’s systems may be accessible to the
subject of the information, authorized third parties, or the general public.
Access to this information is governed by state laws, federal laws, and
rulings by the courts. These laws include numerous provisions providing
public access to information, as well as, numerous provisions protecting
the rights of persons affected by this information. St. Louis County, its
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officers, and employees shall implement their best judgment and
discretion in protecting the rights of the public and the privacy of
individuals when administrating information contained on the County’s
systems.
C. Employee Privacy
The County recognizes the privacy interests of its employees to the
contents of their personal communications contained in the County
systems. While recognizing the privacy interests of its employees, the
County must balance these privacy concerns with the County’s inherent
management responsibility to manage its systems, together with, rights of
the public and third parties to obtain certain government information.
D. Transient Electronic Communications
The County’s electronic mail system, known as e-mail, is used as a
communication system for electronic messages. The system is not
intended as a storage system for transient electronic communications
unless, pursuant to County policy, the electronic messages are entered
into an official County record keeping system.
III. Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of the St. Louis County Board to establish policies
concerning computer usage within St. Louis County.
It is the responsibility of the MIS User Committee to discuss County computer
policy and provide recommendations to the St. Louis County Officials
Organization and St. Louis County Administration.
It is the responsibility of the County Administrator and designees to ensure
appropriate utilization of the St. Louis County systems for retention of
government data and records.
It is the responsibility of department heads, individually and through the St. Louis
County Officials Organization, to assist the County Board in formulating the St.
Louis County Computer Policy. Department heads shall also be responsible for
setting specific departmental policies on computer usage within the framework of
the overall County policy. Department heads shall also be responsible to establish
departmental policies on the creation of data and storage of records consistent
with the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, Minn. Stat. Ch. 13, and the
preservation of public records consistent with Minn. Stat. § 138.17, and Minn.
Stat. § 15.17.
It is the responsibility of St. Louis County employees to utilize St. Louis County
computers and systems to further the goals of St. Louis County in providing
services to its citizens. They are also responsible for taking all precautions
necessary to avoid contamination of the county’s computers and systems by
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software viruses and to prevent the unauthorized use of the County’s systems.
The MIS Department shall be responsible to maintain and operate the County’s
hardware and software systems. This includes the appropriate backup of systems
and information for purposes of disaster recovery. Backup of such a nature is not
intended to create data.
IV. Hardware and Software
St. Louis County is the owner of all equipment provided to employees and
constituting the St. Louis County computer system. St. Louis County also
provides software for use on individual computers and within the system.
Employees should be responsible for understanding and respecting the terms of
such software licenses. Use of hardware and software beyond that provided to
employees by the County shall require MIS and department head approval.
Privately owned hardware and software not licensed to St. Louis County will not
be serviced by County support staff.
Personal use of St. Louis County hardware and software is permitted. However,
such use shall be limited in time and frequency in accordance with County and
Departmental policies. It shall be conducted in a manner to limit the interruption
of County business.
All computer usage remains subject to all other St. Louis County policies,
including but not limited to St. Louis County Usage Ethics Computer Policy, the
St. Louis County Conflict of Interest Policy, the St. Louis County
Nondiscrimination Policy, and the St. Louis County Sexual Harassment Policy.
V. E-mail
The St. Louis County system provides e-mail systems on both an Intranet and
Internet basis. E-mail is intended as a communication tool. E-mail messages,
when read, will be defaulted to trash and will not be maintained by the MIS
department in a backup capacity. Department heads will ensure proper
procedures are established within their department to insure that those e-mail
messages which are to be retained as government data or government records are
preserved in an appropriate manner.
St. Louis County recognizes that employees may have some privacy rights in email
pursuant to the Minnesota and Federal Electronic Communications Acts. St.
Louis County, however, cannot guarantee that e-mail will remain private. St.
Louis County may be required by court order, statute, or other authority to
divulge employee e-mail. Additionally, St. Louis County reserves a right to
monitor employee’s e-mail if inappropriate or illegal e-mail usage is suspected.
Personal use of e-mail is permitted. However, such use shall be limited in time
and frequency in accordance with County and Departmental policies. It shall be
conducted in a manner to limit the interruption of County business.
Personal use of e-mail is subject to all other policies of St. Louis County
including, but not limited to, the St. Louis County Conflict of Interest Policy, the
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St. Louis County Nondiscrimination Policy, and the St. Louis County Sexual
Harassment Policy.
VI. Internet and Intranet
St. Louis County employees may have Intranet and Intranet access through St.
Louis County systems. Internet and Internet usage provides unique opportunities
to gather and exchange information to fulfill the mission of St. Louis County.
Personal use of Internet and Intranet access is permitted. However, such use shall
be limited in time and frequency in accordance with County and Departmental
policies. It shall be conducted in a manner as to limit the interruption of County
business.
Internet usage may create temporary files such as cookies or cache. The
placement of temporary files within the St. Louis County system shall not be
considered permanent or the creation of government data.
Personal use of Intranet and Internet access remains subject to all other St. Louis
County policies including, but not limited to, the Conflict of Interest Policy,
Sexual Harassment Policy and Nondiscrimination Policy.
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