Their seems to he quite a dispute about what is and isn't a breast feeding pic

uncomfortable it is unsuitable. There is no specific punishment. It could become part of a harassment issue.

As long as they are actually in the process of breast feeding. However, if one of my co-workers caught a glimpse of a fully exposed female breast on my monitor and turned me in to HR for viewing inappropriate images at my workstation, I'd not enjoy the grief I'd have to go through dealing with that.

It's really pretty simple.

Thanks William~

...18 months old. It NEVER occurred to me to videotape it, and if it had, I wouldn't have done so. That's a bit hinky. Let's hope she doesn't show it to little Joey's first date.

on?

Would you get fired? Demoted? Get docked pay? Get written up?

Passer-by who happened to see a breast on my monitor and was "offended" without realizing context, and reported a sexual harassment? Termination is feasible.

Please forgive my ignorance; I've never worked anywhere that was monitored, or where co-workers would cause me problems for casually viewing an image of a breastfeeding baby at a mother's breast; it seemed really silly to me, but now when I think about how so many folks have to work for, and with, republicans, teabaggers, religious bigots, who are, as a rule, total hypocrite assholes, etc. it makes a lot of sense.

It shouldn't be an issue but unfortunately it is an issue. I hate that but it is what it is.

Thankfully I don't work with her or even near her. She has found it to be her duty to report every little thing she sees to HR. I believe internet usage should be between the person and their boss, she does not. She got another admin fired by reporting her to HR.

The other admin had been taking care of her sick mother so much that she ran out of FMLA and vacation time and was using vacation donations. Well her mother went to stay with the brother for a few months, so the admin was going on her first vacation in years. She was doing all her work, but the other lady saw her looking at hotels online. She was reported and ultimately fired.

The company policy is you're allowed a "reasonable" amount of time on the internet, so it's whatever HR and the disciplinary committee determines is a violation - regardless of performance and your manager doesn't get a say either.

So yeah let's say it was a guy and there were pictures of a bare breast, and specifically that lady saw it? He'd be fired. They don't monitor people regularly, but if a complaint is made it's more likely than not you'll be terminated.

You post all the time about shit you have to put up with yourself but doubt that some DU'ers might work in a conservative environment?

Of course i have i live in Alaska. Usually when you click on something you shouldn't view at work, you don't stay on that page long enough to alert and type out your message. Especially if you are worried about someone looking over your shoulder and seeing you looking at that image.

out there who have no life, teabagger/republican/conservative religious types, and one of their only "pleasures" in life is punishing, or making life difficult for others is by bending or misusing rules and authority in order to cause problems for others whenever they can.

I feel really bad for progressives/liberals who have to live under the constant threat of authoritarian conservative petty tyrants in their workplace every day. Can you imagine?

Nurse Ratched is a classic example of one of these mean, petty tyrant type creatures. Imagine working next to her every day, having her as your boss, or having her monitor everything you do on your computer. It's enough to make a person totally paranoid.

(Possibly NSFW)

but sometimes there are just arguments for argument's sake around here.

FWIW, I appreciate the statement the OP was making, but I believe the alert was justified, especially in light of the fact that the OP was asked to modify the thread title.

Am I offended by a breastfeeding baby or even an exposed breast? Not in the least. However, members should have the courtesy of advanced advisement for skipping a thread that may contain inappropriate images for their current environment. It appears a jury agreed with that view.

Was there collaboration or a group effort involved?

Well for the love o' Jeebus, don't ever come to Portland in June!

(NSFW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

http://pdxwnbr.org

I'll just have to avoid viewing pictures while at work

I love Portland!

you for viewing inappropriate images, if your co-worker turned you in for the inappropriate image of an exposed female breast that was obviously an image of a mother nursing a baby?

I'm looking for examples.

Thanks.

First of all, if the image was of a baby actually nursing, I doubt anybody would be inclined to complain. However, the image in question was not that condition. Yes, it can be assumed that the baby was in the process of nursing, but in fact had not yet latched on so we saw a fully exposed breast. My company has a zero tolerance policy for graphic images and the disciplinary action could include termination. I'm pretty sure I could explain the image in question and not get terminated, but I'm also sure that the incident would be noted in my personnel file and as I said, who needs the grief of dealing with that if a simple NSFW would have clued me in to not opening the thread at my work station.

Bluebassman summed up the repercussions perfectly... sanctions could range from termination to nothing. I think the real disturbing issue about this discussion today was the lack of concern for anyone who opened something like this. If a co-worker decided they were offended, it could get ugly.

All that was requested was for the NSFW notice go on the title line... then the reader can decide to open it or not. The fact that the poster decided not to do it is sad.

people can be given notices, warnings and fired even.

It really depends on the IT and HR departments.

Those places that are less crazy and allow people to browse include these photos under pornography policies (Why I laugh). Others simply do not allow any browsing that cuts into work time. A few of those will let people browse on Cybermonday... which has become a tradition.

Where things like those policies get all kinds of funny are with news media. Believe it or not, a local station has rules that make you go WTF? Think about it, you might have to, in the course of a day, go look at websites that might make even you very uncomfortable. The usual feeds from warzone and disaster areas that have raw tape are a good example. But for that IT has to give their blessing.

True story, in the dark ages of the internet, I had AOL as my ISP (I still do, it is convenient the same address) I was doing research on white supremacy. AOL had those sites blocked due to under age users of the ISP. They actually had to give me permission and flag my computer to allow it to go there. These days it is whatever I want to do.

So there are real consequences, why NSFW warnings are not that crazy. It is normal internet courtesy. I still laugh, but given that we have had people use their on work computers for oh I don't know hard core porn... it is not that far off.

For that here you go, one of the many stories on the subject

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/porn-at-work/

This is far more genetic, but just do a google search of porn and work.

This includes lingerie and bathing suit ads to outright porn. I'm not sure context figures into it.

You can be verbally warned, written up, or fired.

Our computer system is completely isolated within the corporate network. We access only our store's and company's servers and a few other authorized websites for shipping purposes and other things.

The only way to view the internet unabated is through your own phone or computer on your own network. If someone saw me using my phone on the sales floor, that would be a big enough issue. But if I was not on the sales floor and someone saw me looking at a photo of a woman breast feeding, and I would most likely be off the clock or on a break, there pretty much isn't anything they can or would do about it.

Mostly because I can't think of a single person who would give a shit. If I was watching porn on speaker phone, that might raise some resistance. But looking at a photo of a woman breast feeding? Especially within the context of a political website? No one would care. And no one should care.

You would think that IT would have figured that out by now, but nope.

time. It's really not so surprising.

At work, consume 99% of my news from the internet at work.

Say they want to fire someone due to ageism or organizing a union. "Viewing pictures of bare breasts on company-owned computers" might be just the excuse they were waiting for.

the "Viewing pictures of bare breasts on company-owned computers", and that you can be fired for it?

But they probably wouldn't fire you for it unless they wanted to get rid of you?

Do you think they would save it in your employee file, for some time in the future that they might want to get rid of you?

It's all fun and games until HR and the lawyers get involved.

My friend was managing a Countrywide Mortgage branch when she was fired. She had a problem loan officer who liked to play "the float" and not lock loans when the customer requested a lock. He got caught in a deteriorating market and ended up closing a jumbo loan $15k underwater. My friend deducted deficiency from the loan officers commissions (the loan officer lied and the customer had emails requesting a lock).

Fast forward a couple months to a birthday party in the lunch room. Everybody is joking and carrying on. My friend makes the "penis" crack. A couple weeks later she gets called by HR. The loan officer claimed he felt harassed and hostile work environment etc. etc. My friend couldn't deny saying what she said. They fired her.

Context really doesn't transfer very well when HR and lawyers are involved.

Somebody mentioned in one of these threads that it would be hard for a single guy to claim he was looking at breast feeding pictures. I agree.

A HR could result in being cleared, warning, or termination. If a warning, I think it would then be reflected in my next performance evaluation, and would raise someone up on the layoff list (who gets cut first is always based on your performance evaluation).

The NSFW tag is just common internet courtesy, the same as trigger or graphic warnings.

First time probably a verbal warning.

corporate environment, but I suspect that, as a male member of the faculty in a department where breast-feeding is unrelated to the curriculum, the image a naked breast on my computer screen - with or without an adjacent baby (but most certainly if without), and absent any other immediately obvious explanation - would trigger a somewhat awkward conversation with the relevant supervisory administrator. So I for one would appreciate an "NSFW" on such imagery just in case.

On the other hand, I've had at least one student actually breast-feed in the classroom and nobody batted an eye...

If someone reported to HR that I was viewing a photo of a topless woman, that is. My immediate coworkers might not even care; or my boss for that matter. He'd likely say something like "are you trying to get fired??" but that's all he would do.

The trouble comes when HR hears about it. They have company policies to follow, and even harassment law, so their possible actions are limited. But yes, I could absolutely be terminated.

For the record, the big three things-you-can't-view at my job are: nudity, racism, and gambling.


(edited for saying 'jons' instead of 'jobs' )

and the mom's nipple was exposed, someone could interpret that as viewing a photo of a topless woman, and you could be fired for it?

And it is a violation of company policy. What happens next would depend on the circumstances, who is complaining and why, etc.

It's an office environment with people walking around all day. And sexual-harassment lawsuits are also a concern. I'm sure the vast majority of such environments have restrictions on internet activity. Some may be more strict with the rules than others, but they all have rules.

breastfeeding. A friend of mine has 2 children. When they were babies she breastfed them. When she started breastfeeding her infant daughter,her husband demanded that their eldest son who is just 17 months older than his sister not be present when she was breastfeeding their daughter. He said it was sexual and the baby son should not see her breast. Sick fool.She didn't listen thank goodness.

many different ways.

Breasts were everywhere ( very few lactating).

On a serious note, if someone is offended by a baby nursing, that person has a problem.
Not the mom or baby.

Why yes I did

...then it's probably wise to simply refrain from going onto message boards, ebay, or otherwise surfing the net recreationally.

I've worked in a number of different settings- some employers are reasonable but others can be real pricks.

expecting special consideration from DUers not at work, or DUers where their internet usage at work is not censored, as well.

if your employer is THAT strict that a stray boob picture could get you fired, why would you even take a chance? Get a cheap data plan and use your phone or stay away from sites that might get you in trouble unknowingly. Why would you rely on random internet posters on DU to keep you from getting fired? I don't know, it seems very clear to me. I'm not opposed to putting a warning, but geez, everyone saying it's netiquette but I haven't heard of NSFW until today and I've been online since '96 and at DU since '03. I've had it drilled into my head that any internet time at work is just asking for trouble, so I don't understand why anyone would take that chance if they weren't 100% secure about it, especially if they really need the job.

That's really what this is all about, isn't it? Whining about a jury hide.

DU juries have been fairly consistent in hiding stuff for not labeling. Not always but often.

which means yes, an innocuous breastfeeding photo is an infraction just like a naked breast with no context. If it's rare event the penalty may be mitigated because of the context. However, if the employee has a pattern of viewing breastfeeding images on the corporate system, that may indicate an attempt to circumvent the rules against viewing naked body parts.

I worked in a place with really lax rules until the head of HR was busted for watching lots of porn in his office. After that everyone had to abide by zero tolerance rules because it was easier than writing out an extensive list of do's and don'ts.

everything was blocked even though we obviously were looking for breast feeding articles of interest.

Posted by Creek Dog:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025089689

DUers at work could simply use the image blocking feature, and no one would ever have to get a post censored because of corporate rules ever again.

More risk free, free speech at DU for everyone!

I might be in trouble if I didn't have one on my screen once in a while.

(excuse me) what type of punishment will you receive?

Context is of little consequence other than maybe getting you the right up instead of canned if you are relatively valuable and otherwise clean.

This means at best you are going to be less likely to be promoted, will get a reduced increase, and be all up on the radar.

It isn't my issue because I am both too busy and too locked down to run afoul of such issues but even I might pop on for a bit while on a long hold or something with my phone. There are a lot of folks that are neither line staff nor management that take brief mental breaks during work.

I have no idea why all of this is so mystifying to some folks, an exposed breast is going to tally as nudity and that is that. My bosses are all women all the way up to and including my VP but no way that would fly.

Folks get in trouble and lose their jobs for FAR less than an image of a breast out here. Decent paying jobs aren't growing on trees and come with more bullshit than can easily be swallowed and dodging busses is a way of life.

People break down under the constant grinding pressure every damn day and more rush home to the bottle or to get high, I think sucks ass, I can't hardly face it again myself but I like food, shelter, and shit so I'll be swallowing until they feel I'm used up or the big buy out, shutdown, or layoff comes because that is what it takes.

situations can employ it, and have the option of zero possibility of getting busted for this.

Why risk peoples livelihoods unnecessarily, when there is such a simple solution?