What next ?

[JPINFV]

3. When you are at work, you should be at work. I applaud those departments who do not let you carry a cellphone or personal laptop while on-duty. Play on your own time, be a professional at work.

Sure, if there is no significant downtime. However, things like laptops becomes completely permissible when there may be hours between calls while sitting on a street corner.

[FireMedic65]

I came across chatroulette a long time ago. After a few mins of that, I decided never to go back. Since the site was mostly guys jacking-off, it was not appealing.

If these EMTs were on that site, then yea.. I could see punishment being given since it is essentially "not safe for work".

Local hospital where I am, has wifi and LAN. The wifi can be used by anyone and the LAN is all the hospital computers. People frequently browse ebay, google, youtube, craigslist, various forums, etc etc all the time. They keep it clean, and never let it impede on their job. A happy work place is a good work place.

Sure, if there is no significant downtime. However, things like laptops becomes completely permissible when there may be hours between calls while sitting on a street corner.

Absolutely NOT!! You must sit there, and stare at the wall or windshield. If there is something on the wall like a poster or something on the street then you must open your map book or protocol book and memorize it.

ps, I am being sarcastic

[speedygodzilla]

We are not allowed to represent the company in personal photos, and this can easily get you fired depending on what you are doing during the photo. I would have to say from that piano improv of that chat site, this would be the last place I would go while at work. The idea that it randomly puts you with another is a bit scary while at work. I really have no intrest for such thing anyways although the piano guy was pretty funny lol.

Sounds like from the news papers site that it was a bit political too as the Hospital did not want a article about it, even though it still ended up that way. Humm weird how that works.

[NickD]

Edited March 24, 2010 by NickD

[emtannie]

I don't understand why you do not understand why they were punished:

1. They were on-duty. Being hospital-based employees, I imagine they fall under the hospital's policies and procedures, which probably clearly state that you can not "play" on the computer while you are at work (especially if it was the hospital's computers). If the clerk in the billing office can not surf facebook while she is on-duty, then the EMS employees can not either.

2. They used images of the hospital property and their uniforms in the pics. Big NO-NO. And I seriously doubt that their posts on the internet were very professional, or painted the hospital in a professional light.

3. When you are at work, you should be at work. I applaud those departments who do not let you carry a cellphone or personal laptop while on-duty. Play on your own time, be a professional at work.

1. I also agree with some of this... if they were using hospital computers and internet - that is a big no no... there are protocol and security policies in place with most employers regarding this, and I can see this being a firing issue depending on the severity of the incident.

2. Again, there are probably policies in place regarding use of hospital uniforms, posting pictures of work-related areas, and logo issues which may be in play here, and may also be firing offenses.

3. I carry my person cell phone at work; my employer allows it, and I do employer business on my personal cell phone. However, it is always on silent, so that it never interrupts my interaction with a patient, and I will not answer, check messages, or text if I am going to, on, or returning from a call, or if I have reports to do or any other work-related business. Same with my laptop - it comes with me on shift, but I use it for doing homework and referencing information. Facebook and game-playing is kept to short downtime breaks. There will always be those who try to blur that line, and push the personal use at work issue.

Regarding the initial incident in this thread, I suspect there is more to the story, and if this was an employee's first "offense" is it a firing offense? Or is someone over-reacting? I can see far more serious things to dismiss an employee for, unless their chat was unprofessional in that it was rude, sexual in nature, or other obscenities, or presented the employer in a poor light.

[FireMedic65]

ATTENTION ATTENTION! All medical professionals are drones and must act as such!

It's called sarcasm... you people suck at having a sense of humor.

Edited March 24, 2010 by FireMedic65

[Just Plain Ruff]

Definite case of wrongful termination. We have done similar things where I work. We like to have fun! After we are done our charts and station duties, sure.. let off some steam, have some laughs. Enjoy yourself! Lots of stations have internet access. I check e-mail, post of the forum here, and sometimes come into the chat when I am at work. My boss looked over my shoulder, and asked what this was, and said "awesome". He later made an account I believe.

Without actually seeing the pictures or what they were chatting about or even where they were chatting. It's hard to say exactly how things should have been handled. Were they using company computers or personal laptops? What was being discussed? Was anything mentioned about their days and calls they were one? Even then, so what! We talk about calls we have been on all the time. But we NEVER say "yea just got back from John Doe's house for another "my tongue is too spongy" call. Talking about our jobs is how we cope sometimes.

I however, do NOT agree with taking pictures of yourself, in uniform and posting pics on a public website (yes, I know flickr can be private). Yes, it is fun to have fun at work doing things like that. If there was no way of showing who the employer was, so what. If they did have visible indicators of who they are working for and posting on the internet for others to see, that is a bit unprofessional.

just my thoughts

you contradict yourself.

YOu first say it was a case of wrongful termination but the next instance you are saying that you don't know how things should be handled.

The article says that they took pictures of them texting while either driving or the unit was parked. If their agency is like mine they more than likely have a zero tolerance policy on texting and driving so I suspect this is one of the reasons they got canned.

If you take a picture of yourself doing something against company policy and someone in management sees that picture then its your own freaking fault.

I got to say I'm not getting any sympathy feelings for these yahoos.

The article says that they took pictures of them texting while either driving or the unit was parked. If their agency is like mine they more than likely have a zero tolerance policy on texting and driving so I suspect this is one of the reasons they got canned.

If you take a picture of yourself doing something against company policy and someone in management sees that picture then its your own freaking fault.

I got to say I'm not getting any sympathy feelings for these yahoos.

[FireMedic65]

Alright, fair enough. Maybe I should have said "Possible" not definite. But still, it all depends on their policies. I have not seen the pictures so who knows. I have not seen the video or whatever so who knows what was seen.

As for texting while driving, that IS a definite reason to be fired and criminal charges. At least in PA, since it is illegal to do so... even talking while driving is illegal.

[WolfmanHarris]

I think a lot of this comes down to P&P that was in place and whether the crews violated that. If they did, then the employer isn't in the wrong.

That being said, if I was faced with an employer who wished to exert such exacting control over my work day including my downtime between calls, then I would seek other employment.

For example, a service in my area of the Province does not allow "roaming" of the area to get meals, coffee, etc. They have a restrictive management that doesn't treat the crews very well and as a result have had some significant turnover. Their grievances have increased significantly and the reputation of this service is not very good. As a result, I have declined to apply for a job with them.

My service is part of a larger regional government and as a result our many of our P&P covers the entire region. Computer usage at the bases has the same restrictions as those who work in an office, blocking things like Facebook, Flickr, chatrooms. Rather than attempt to work around this an risk discipline, I use my iphone or laptop.

[theotherphil]

Look, they posted images of themselves goofing off where the rest of the world can see....which the rest of the world obviously did as the Post approached their employers for a story.

Most employers have a clause that you can be fired immediately for "Gross Misconduct" and they will define a few instances of what is classified as Gross Misconduct. One of the definitions is bringing the service's name into disrepute.

As an EMT/ Paramedic, the public expect a level of responsibility and personal accountability for you actions. By posting pics publicly of you goofing off is never a good idea....especially if your employer is identifiable (as it clearly was in this case). Whilst we all agree that the punishment doesn't fit the crime, you need to remember that your employer will drop you like a hot stone should you bring any bad press to their door - no matter how good you are and how many years service you have. This then acts as a deterrent to their other employees.