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Social Media Use, Guidelines, Gifts
and Policy Implications Florida law prohibits UF employees from
Social networks provide fun and exciting ways “soliciting or accepting anything of value,
to connect with others who share common such as a gift, loan, reward, promise of future
interests. In fact, many UF colleges and employment, favor, or service that is based on
departments utilize social media as a way to an understanding that their vote, official action,
share information with employees and students. or judgment would be influenced by such gift”
Who doesn’t like a good tweet now and then, (Sec. 112.313(2) of the Florida Statutes).
right? Unfortunately, social media can create Accepting a gift adds a hint of favoritism to
some headaches at work in two key ways. contractors, vendors, and community members.
First, when you are at work and on social We need to operate UF on the up-and-up in both
media or other websites (like Amazon or CNN) appearances and actualities.
for your own entertainment, this is a serious This prohibition, of course, excludes gifts
performance issue. You cannot be staring at made to UF Advancement—which are different
your device or be sucked into a Facebook time and considered acceptable because they are
vortex when you are supposed to be working. charitable contributions.
When you are supposed to be working, you
should—you know—be working. aProTip: If a UF vendor, contractor, or
customer offers you a gift, politely decline and
Second, when you are on social media, you do redirect them to UF Advancement.
not want anyone to mistakenly think you are
speaking on behalf of UF. You can take some Employment of Relatives
simple precautions to avoid anyone thinking you
are acting as a spokesperson for the university. Sometimes we shy away from using the word
If you have a blog or a Twitter account, you “nepotism,” but that’s what UF’s Employment of
can include a simple disclaimer, something Relatives regulation and policy are really about.
along the lines of: “The views expressed on this UF is committed to employment and
[blog, website, Twitter account] are my own advancement based on individual qualifications
and do not reflect the views of my employer.” and merit, and does not consider familial
If Facebook is your thing, consider simply not relationship. Still, having relatives or significant
identifying UF as your employer and do not others work in the same area can get pretty
display any UF logos on your profile or in your awkward. So, we have a process set up to make
profile picture. Be thoughtful of your privacy sure we don’t have family squabbles at work
settings—especially on social media sites like or have supervisors play favorites with their
Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. If you do not children.
select the privacy settings, the default typically
renders your accounts open and accessible to If you’ve been reading along, right about
absolutely anyone! now you are probably thinking: I’ll bet they
have a form for that. Yes, we do—it’s called
If you want additional guidance on this topic, the Employment of Relatives Approval Form.
visit UF’s policy online addressing Social Media The Employment of Relatives regulation
Use, Guidelines and Policy Implications.
specifically details the general prohibition of the
appointment of “relatives or persons living in the
TEAMS/USPS Employee Handbook (Sept. 2018) 22
