Surfing the Web on an employer’s time can get gnarly
An Orange County Worker faces reprimand for non-work related — but fairly common — use
LA Times – Dana Parsons
December 2, 2006
Chris Prevatt seems a little unhappy. Possibly bored. I caught him on a work break in the middle of Friday afternoon, taking temporary relief from a PowerPoint presentation on how Orange County is spending tobacco-settlement revenue. Later in the day, he was scheduled to go to a job site and investigate a complaint that people were smoking inside a company.
“Are you happy at work?” I eventually ask.
“I like the people I work with,” Prevatt says, “but not the fact that I don’t really have anything to do.”
What he means is that he doesn’t have enough to do to fill up the typical workday.
And that may explain, in at least partial detail, how the county employee found himself sideways with his bosses. Any day now, Prevatt expects to be officially reprimanded for using company time to surf the Internet. Another allegation  that he used company time to work on his personal political blog  may or may not figure into things, he says.
In the grand scheme of things, this is pretty small potatoes. Prevatt says he’s been led to believe his bosses aren’t contemplating suspension or dismissal or a job reclassification.
That doesn’t mean he’s happy or will roll over like some whimpering dog.
Read More: Click Here
I’m a little surprised that Dana didn’t bring up the Flasher Report from Jon Fleischman ashe likely used significantly more county resources than Chris ever did.
Rest easy, Chris. You can’t buy this amount of publicity for a million bucks.
I’m an OC expat (now living in Mariposa County), and if it weren’t for Dana’s column, I never would have discovered theliberaloc.
Dan,
Dana’s story went about as I expected based upon our conversation. His focus did not stray into the other bloggers arena when we talked so I’m not surprised he did not go there.
His whit and sarcasm initially threw me off, yet after I read the story a second time I recognized his tongue in cheek commentary.
Bill,
Glad you found us. If you missed it, you should look up the post from the OC Register Story from Friday, November 24th. Also, be sure to look up the original post that started this story from October 25th titled Chris Norby and the Dark Side, or my follow up to the investigation being launched on October 29th. Just scroll through the archives, I’m sure you’ll find some fun stuff that I’ve missed.
I really need to pay my publicist more. Oh, wait a minute, that’s me. 🙂
I can’t believe you’re 45; I thought I was the only geezer on this site.
Unless we seperate male/female – I am the old broad – I have Chris beat. Any other takers?
S
46 in Feb….how do I rank?