-Caveat Lector-
Many IRS Workers Spend Half Online Work Time At Porn And Chat Sites
By Lance Gay
Scripps Howard News Service
5-10-1
WASHINGTON - A sampling of Internal Revenue Service employees found that
they used about half their online time at work to visit sex sites, gamble,
trade stocks, participate in chat rooms and do other nonwork-related
activities, the Treasury Department's inspector general said.
Pamela Gardiner, deputy inspector general for tax affairs, said her staff
looked at how more than 16,000 IRS employees were using their computers
during seven days over a period spanning several months. Her staff found
that employees spent 8,250 hours out of 16,275 hours online -- or about 51
percent of the time -- doing personal business.
Almost 23 percent were using Internet chat rooms, 20 percent were involved
in looking up personal financial information, and 7 percent were shopping
online. Others were found gambling or downloading pornography, she said.
The IRS says it is imposing new work rules on how employees can use the
Internet because of the investigation, and has installed screening software
aimed at keeping employees away from sex sites.
Deputy IRS Commissioner Bob Wenzel said he found the employees' Internet use
improper and thanked the inspector general for bringing the matter to his
attention.
Senate Finance Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, says he's not
satisfied with the agency's response. He noted that during this year's tax
season, 37 percent of taxpayers calling the IRS for information didn't get
their calls answered. Those that did get a response were given wrong answers
47 percent of the time.
"It's reasonable to expect a basic level of service from the IRS to
taxpayers," Grassley said. He questioned whether IRS employees were letting
taxpayer calls go unanswered because they are involved in personal
activities online.
"Some IRS employees are clearly goofing off," he said.
In a separate report, the IRS inspector general found that 47 percent of
82,000 e-mails coming into the IRS involved nonbusiness matters. Among the
topics these e-mails covered were daily joke services, high school reunion
news and information from a popular rock singer's fan site.
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Kadosh, Kadosh, Kadosh, YHVH, TZEVAOT
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The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
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