Taking Work Home (Email & Devices)

Working Beyond the Office

Balancing our need for flexibility with federal security is a daily task. As discussed in GSA IT General Rules of Behavior (CIO 2104.1C), taking work home isn't just about finishing a task—it's about where that data lives. Using Government-Furnished Equipment and approved access methods is the only way to ensure sensitive information stays protected.

The Friday Deadline

Jordan considers setting up an auto-forwarding rule to a personal email address. Another thought is to manually email the file home and edit it on a personal desktop. Finally, Jordan thinks about taking the GSA laptop home to work via the VPN. It is late Friday afternoon. Jordan needs to finalize an acquisition report containing Controlled Unclassified Information, or CUI, for a Monday briefing. To avoid traffic, Jordan wants to head home now and finish the work later. Which approach should Jordan take?

Option A: Automatic Forwarding

Setting up an inbox rule to automatically send work emails to a personal account is strictly prohibited. According to CIO 2104.1C, you must not automatically forward emails unless IT Security gives prior authorization. This bypasses agency perimeter controls and creates a massive security gap.

Option B: Manual Forwarding

Manually forwarding a file might seem safer, but there is a hidden trap. Because this report contains CUI, CIO 2104.1C requires mandated encryption for transmission to non-GSA addresses. More importantly, downloading sensitive data to personal IT devices is a direct policy violation. Saving CUI on a home computer removes enterprise-level safeguards.

Option C: The GSA Laptop

This is the correct choice. Jordan locks the workstation, removes the PIV card, and takes the GSA-issued laptop home. By using approved remote access, the sensitive CUI stays within the encrypted government boundary. This complies with both physical security and data protection rules.

Compliance Recap

Let's recap what we have learned about taking work home. Never set up automatic forwarding rules. Keep sensitive data off personal hardware. And always rely on your GSA-issued laptop and approved remote access. Following these rules keeps GSA data secure wherever you work.