Administrative Law Judge: Browsing The Internet Not A Fireable Offense

You're ensconced in your cubicle, the in tray is overflowing, the printer is jammed, the telephone is blinking and your co-worker is snoring -- so you decide to escape for a few moments by surfing the Internet.

You're not alone, most employers let their staff surf the Net as long as it doesn't interfere with the quality or quantity of their work.

But some employers have a "zero tolerance" policy, and they have fired good employees for going online.

New York city Mayor Michael Bloomberg fired a worker in the city's legislative office in Albany earlier this year after he noticed the hapless man playing a game of solitaire on his computer.

Administrative Law Judge John Spooner has become the hero of cubicle dwellers everywhere by ruling that Toquir Choudhri, a 14-year veteran of the Department of Education could not be fired for browsing the Internet at work.

Judge Spooner explained that surfing the Net is no different than reading the newspaper, looking at photographs or talking on the phone -- infractions that deserve a reprimand not termination.

As long as you aren't downloading porn, I don't see anything improper about surfing the Net at work. A few minutes of online activity and I'm "good to go", ready to tackle the in tray.

Kudos to Judge Spooner, I'm going to put aside my work for a few moments and search Google for a photo of the good judge that I place on my computer desktop.