Ten child welfare workers in Tucson have been disciplined for “inappropriate and irresponsible use of the Internet or e-mail,” department officials said.

The Arizona Department of Economic Security employees were based in Tucson and were part of the Child Protective Services staff. Their positions “ranged across various job classifications,” spokeswoman Liz Barker said.

“I can’t tell you specifically what the (Internet) material involved,” she said. “None of it was sexually explicit material involving children.”

Ms. Barker said the disciplinary action took place over the past three and a half months and ranged from a reprimand to firing. Employees who were not fired were warned to stop.

Ms. Barker said she couldn’t give more information on the disciplined or fired workers because of privacy rules regarding state personnel.

Improper use of the Internet and e-mail “is an issue we deal with from time to time, very much on a case-by-case basis,” Ms. Barker said.

DES employs 10,000 workers around the state.

DES Director David Berns said recently the agency is working to recruit and train new workers in Pima and Maricopa counties to handle a backlog of child welfare cases. —

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