New information-sharing powers for public service bosses will mean federal government workers face more scrutiny of their behaviour, attendance and even web browsing.
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Looming public sector legal reform will allow senior management to share workers' personal information across agencies for use in misconduct investigations and hiring decisions.
The new powers are part of a suite of changes to the Public Service Act that will give the bureaucracy a much tougher disciplinary edge from July 1.
Under the new rules, an agency head may use personal information where the use is ''necessary or relevant'' to the exercise of the agency head's power as an employer, a considerable widening of the scope of the rules.
Previously, bosses were allowed to use or share personal information only when they could show it was necessary. But from July, information about about employee's misconduct record and any sanctions imposed could be used when considering a job application, promotion or a move between agencies.
Information supplied as part of a job application could be retrieved
and used in misconduct investigations and computer log-in records could be used to check if a worker is showing up to work or accessing unauthorised records.
Personal information could also be used to detect the use of inappropriate websites.
Other changes to the public service code of conduct will extend bosses' power to punish staff for off-the-job misbehaviour, including conduct on Twitter and Facebook. A new clause will make employees liable if they have not acted with ''honesty and integrity'' during the hiring process.
Employees can now be disciplined for ''misconduct action … where a person has provided false or misleading information in connection with their engagement as an APS employee, i.e. pre-commencement misconduct'', according to the advice.
The code of conduct will apply ''in connection with the employee's employment, rather than only in the course of employment'', with the commission pledging that the code will not seek to regulate employees' private lives.
Bosses would have to prove a genuine link between the worker's job and their behaviour before any punishment could take place.
Sanctions available vary from a simple reprimand through to fines, demotions and dismissal.
