Email and absence from Brookes

If you are going to be away from Brookes, you can manage your email in different ways:

1. You can set up a vacation filter so anyone sending you an email gets a standard reply.
2. You can redirect mail to another email address using filter.
3. You can deal with it directly by using Google@Brookes
4. Once you return to work you can turn off the auto-reply feature.

 

Unplanned and extended absence

If an employee is going to be away from Brookes it is recommended that features in Google, are used, to manage email effectively during the planned absence:

1. Setup an automatic reply

and/or

2. Forward and/or copy your mail to a colleague

Unplanned absence

If an employee is unexpectedly absent for a period of time, without being able to set up arrangements to ensure that their mail is appropriately managed, then, where it is necessary to ensure business continuity, the Brookes Electronic Mail policy enables interventions to take place with regard to a Brookes email account.

Where possible we will normally take reasonable steps to seek consent for such interventions.  Interventions without consent will only take place if consistent with law (for example, if the employee cannot be contacted or we cannot acquire consent, but access to the account is necessary for business purposes in the legitimate interests of the University and is not unwarranted to the employee as an individual).  Urgent interventions will only take place in compelling circumstances.

If an unplanned absence occurs and it becomes necessary to access an absent employee's email account then, if reasonable to do so, steps have to be taken to contact that employee.

The employee should be requested to put into place a suitably worded automatic reply, and/or measures to forward/copy relevant mails to a colleague.

If it is not possible to contact the employee or consent cannot be acquired and access is necessary for business purposes, then steps may be taken to ensure a colleague can be given access to the employee's email.

In such a circumstance the employee requiring access should complete the "Request to Access Email" form, outlining the business purpose for the access, the reason why contact with the absent employee has not been possible and consent has not been acquired.

This form has to be fully completed, countersigned by the appropriate Director or Dean and by the Chief Information Officer and then sent to the postmaster (currently Simon Hogg) in Oxford Brookes Information Solutions, Gipsy Lane for action.

The delegation of email must be removed as soon as the absent employee has returned to work or is able to manage their mail.

If an employee has in place an automatic reply and the text of that is no longer meaningful, then in the first instance, that employee should be contacted and asked to amend it accordingly.

If they cannot be contacted or consent cannot be acquired for an amendment to be made and the amendment is necessary for business purposes then steps may be taken to ensure an appropriate amendment is made to the automatic reply.

In such a circumstance the employee requiring the amendment should complete a "Request to change auto-reply text" form outlining the business purpose for the amendment and the reason why contact with the absent employee has not been possible and consent has not been acquired. This form has to be fully completed, countersigned by the appropriate Director or Dean and by the Chief Information Officer and then sent to the postmaster (currently Simon Hogg) in Oxford Brookes Information Solutions, Gipsy Lane for action.

Any amendments will be brief in nature eg. "I am not available at the present time, please contact xxxxx". Please complete this form to do this.

Automatic replies will not be put in place, only amended.

In all cases a copy of the form must be sent to the absent employee's home address, detailing the intervention that has occurred and providing a contact point for any questions or advice, this will usually be the employee's line manager.