Is there some kind of program that can limit amount of time spent on Facebook at work?

We are allowed to use internet for personal use during personal time, lunch time, coffee breaks, or a bit after work, but my co-worker spends hours and hours and hours every day, typing furiously on facebook, and is "tuned-out" of the workplace and customers needs, and isn't learning about product knowledge that is necessary, ie- not trying to learn or do the job for which we hired

That program is called "Employee Termination" or "Employee Disciplinary Actions."

The problem is not a lack of control over your network, its a lack of control over that one employee.

Sorry folks, not my choice of best answer.
Thats too severe and sudden. It costs money and hassle to fire and re-hire, and its more compassionate to ask for adjustment or get a computer time control ! Report It

Ouch! That's not an easy one, because there is ethics linked to this one. First, you are saying that your boss allows it for use during PERSONAL time, Second this person is definitely doing what we call "time stealing" been paid for a job that he (or she) is not performing. I'm saying it is a tought one because you have two choices. You contribute to making it stop or you ignore it...
This one needs courage and conviction but personnally I would not hesitate a second! You can meet with your supervisor and adress the problem (lets put it this way, if he (or again she) doesn`t do anything, it just shouldn't be in that position!!!
Unless you work for a company that is lead by idiots, this problem should go away a lot quicker than you can dream of...
Take care
A Leader is someone who can... stand for justice and equity...

They can block certain websites on your company server, but not necessarily limit the time (not that I've ever seen anyway). You should notify your supervisor because what's most likely going to happen if this person continues to abuse the privilege of using the internet for personal use -- they will take it away and start blocking sites for everyone.

note down the times she/he spends on facebook and after a week or two, show that info to the boss or manager. The policy does say "in your own personal time". if she/he is doing this on company time, then they need to be fired.

we had the same rule at my last job, but I found that the company had made the blogging sites in-accessible.

The best thing to do is to set up a meeting with the employee and be up front. Make clear the objectives that need to be fulfilled. What are the standards? What are tasks that must be done? It sounds like the system is at fault here. I'm not trying to make excuses for the employee but if the system didn't allow her to have this kind of time then perhaps she would be more focused on work. Give her stuff that she must do. If it's taking so many customer calls or taking a "test" on company literature. It sounds like management is lacking.
If you got rid of this employee, would the problem go away?