Thomson Holidays has sacked or severely reprimanded a number of employees, mostly junior staff, after they were discovered downloading what the company described as "very disturbing" pictures.

This case is important because it highlights the need for employers to rapidly develop and communicate a formal Internet policy – ensuring that all staff are fully aware of its contents

Thomsons said it had now sent all its employees a copy of its Internet use policy and that managers were explaining its ramifications to staff. The company says their policy is common sense and realistic saying "It's not looking at the material, it is passing it on and downloading material that is serious. You can't stop people sending you things but if you chose to send it on to other people, that would be a breach."

Lawyers have repeatedly urged companies to ensure that their Internet policies give specific guidelines about what staff can and cannot do with the Internet. Firms that fail to have specific policies risk facing claims of unfair dismissal if it is not clear what rules have been broken