Emailing Porn at Work - is it a sackable offence?

There are certain things that are not appropriate to be shared in the workplace. Pornography and other sexually explicit materials fall within that category. It is not uncommon for employers to a have a 'zero tolerance' policy on the distribution of inappropriate material in the workplace. But could this be an unfair dismissal? On YOU LEGAL TV, I discuss this topic and share some tips on how to tackle this controversial issue. You can also learn more about it in our blog post on The Consequences of Emailing Porn at Work: An Unfair Dismissal? If there is a topic you would like to feature on an episode of You Legal TV, I would love to hear from you!

See below for complete transcript of this episode -

Hi, my name is Sarah Bartholomeusz, and welcome to You Legal TV.

At You Legal we help leaders in growing companies make bold decisions in their businesses.

The question we've been asked, a few times lately, by some employers is, "If my staff emailed porn to each other, does it mean that I can automatically dismiss them?"

We want to help make the answer a little bit clearer for you, in your office.

If you take steps to have a very clear policy, setting out that emailing that sort of material at work is not appropriate, then you'll be in a better position.

Secondly, you also have to make it clear in your culture that emailing porn isn't appropriate, so that if it does happen, the sanctions are clear and the staff member isn't surprised with the steps that follow.

If you do have any questions about this specifically, or anything else, feel free to get in touch. We look forward to seeing you on our next episode of You Legal TV.

What Should I Do Next?

Contact us if you would like further legal advice regarding Employment and Industrial Relations Law our lawyers at You Legal will be happy to assist you in whatever way we can.

* This blog is for general guidance only. Legal advice should be sought before taking action in relation to any specific issues.