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NASA Employee Suspended For Blogging At Work

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the but-i-wanna-blog-now dept.

BobJacobsen writes "FCW has an article about a NASA employee that was suspended for blogging on government time. Seems the unnamed employee's 'politically partisan' blog entries were a violation of the Hatch Act. The article ends with a chilling quote from the government's Special Counsel in the case: 'Today, modern office technology multiplies the opportunities for employees to abuse their positions and — as in this serious case — to be penalized, even removed from their job, with just a few clicks of a mouse.'" Thing is, he was soliciting campaign donations and writing partisan stuff.

2 of 211 comments (clear)

  1. Well gosh. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Thing is, he was soliciting campaign donations and writing partisan stuff.

    Then he should have had a little discipline and waited till he was home.

  2. Re:why a lower standard for government workers? by Liquidrage · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They aren't. Many companies also allow personal use of the internet (with varying rules regulating that use). Many companies don't. Many government entities do. Many don't.

    Is it OK to spend 5 minutes in the hallway talking to co-workers about the big game last night? Some places/bosses wouldn't care. Others would. Some places give you breaks and lunches. Many professionals don't a whistle that blows telling them it's break time. They manage their own time.

    There is no "one size fits all here". And certainly no "lower standard" you could guess at based on the article.