AROUND 20 Bournemouth council staff – including badly-needed social workers and occupational therapists – have been told to stay at home after allegedly sending emails which were branded offensive.

A probe was launched after complaints about emails which had been circulated among staff as a joke.

One employee called the investigation a “witch hunt” and said staff should have received a telling-off instead of being put on “management leave” on full pay.

It is believed that employees based outside the town hall have had their email use monitored and several, including some senior officers, are now facing disciplinary action.

The Daily Echo understands the probe started after some staff received an email about Viagra with an explicit picture attached. Some found the email funny and circulated it to colleagues as a joke.

A number of staff subsequently had their email accounts checked by managers who found other messages deemed pornographic or racist.

The staff currently at home are thought to include around six social workers and two occupational therapists, as well as a number of secretarial staff.

One person involved in the investigation said staff had forwarded the Viagra email because they found it funny.

“As council workers we’re supposed to delete those and yes, we should have done and we need telling off – but not being made to sit at home on full pay,” he said. He branded the inquiry a “witch hunt”. Bournemouth Borough Council would only say: “We can confirm that a number of staff are away from work on management leave while an investigation into their conduct takes place.”

The council’s email policy states that sending offensive, insulting, bullying, racist, obscene or threatening emails may prompt disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal.

It’s thought that the staff involved have been put on leave until managers get a chance to speak to them and decide whether they should face disciplinary action.