Mississippi City banned Workers from using Cell Phones and TV on duty

Officials in one Mississippi city have told their employees to stop chatting — and watching TV — during business hours. Or else.

The revised rules in Vicksburg, Miss., follow complaints by taxpayers, according to alderman Alex Monsour.

Residents were annoyed that city workers were “using cell phones and texting” during work, Monsour told WATP-TV

. The ban went into effect last week.

There are times when it’s OK for Vicksburg workers to text. But watching television is a lot harder now: City Hall has confiscated the TV sets in the offices of all departments — except for fire and police.

“If (workers) go on a break they can use their personal cell phone and stuff,” Monsour told the ABC affiliate. “But right now, everything is just basically down to business in the city of Vicksburg.”

The official said the city is taking this seriously.

“First offense is getting written up,” said Monsour. “Second offense is a little more severe.”