Baby Pool

Hunter1 · September 2004

What would you have done? First of all, remember that we are public sector with all of our records subject to the open records law: On Friday I received an email from an employee which said that they were starting a baby pool to guess when a fellow employee's baby would be born. $1.00/guess, see her to make your guess. My immediate reaction was that this was gambling and had no business on our email system. Our email policy does not specifically forbid gambling, but does limit personal use.

I went to the employee who had originated the email and had a discussion with her, then hit 'reply to all' and said that this was an inappropriate use of our email system, and since the employee in question had told me that there was also a football pool being run on our system, I said that any similar use of the system had to stop immediately.

You'd think I was Atilla the Hun! How could I be so insensitive, how could I 'chew out' the employee in front of everyone else, how could I even equate this with gambling, etc, etc. How would you have handled it?

rad · September 2004

Our policy is very clear that gambling on company time or using company resources, email or phone, is grounds for immediate dismissal.

I think you handled it fine. The only thing I would have done differently is NOT replied to all on the original email but sent a different one addressed to all, reminding employees of the policy on email usage. I can see how that was interpreted as her being chewed out in front of everyone (although the adult in me says get over it!).

Whatever · September 2004

I probably would have spoken to the ee in private. I would, also, issue (or re-issue) the rules about gambling on premises and the appropriate use of business computers and e-mail.

HRPager · September 2004

I would of let the Employee put the quits to the baby pool after I had talked to them and then a day later sent an email reiterating the gambling/email policies.

Don D · September 2004

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 09-27-04 AT 09:33AM (CST)[/font][br][br]Put a dollar on a boy.

And shouldn't you now have to post a notice on the drink machine as follows: "If the money you are about to deposit came to you as payoff for a bet you made at this facility, you must bring the 55 cents to HR immediately. We do not allow gambling here. And, if you are purchasing a product for a fellow employee because of a bet you lost with him, that 55 cents must also be turned in to HR."

I think you had to react since it involved a mass emailout (a new term). But, I would have not reacted had I simply learned that there was a baby pool going on. Then you WOULD be Atilla The Hun.

ray a · September 2004

Put $2 on twins - one of each.

System · September 2004

I too work for a local government. I let the baby pools alone but would address the use of the email system for notification. I even ignore the football pools. In the event it becomes a problem (in my judgment) I will handle it then. Sometimes we have to look at the policy's purpose and intention. Our policy would prohibit any blantant gambling like playing poker in the lunchroom or tossing dice during breaks. When you're called on to make a judgment call, you can only base your reply on the nature of the offense and the views of top leadership. I think you handled the use of the email system fine.

Baby Pool

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