Posted Friday, February 1, 2013 --- 9:35 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Wisconsin Corrections Secretary Ed Wall is warning employees of his department they could lose their job if they spread what he calls "false or malicious information" about the agency.

An email provided to The Associated Press by a Corrections employee and confirmed as authentic by the department shows Wall sent the message on Monday.

Wall writes he is disturbed about rumors floating around the 10,000-employee agency that it may be opening a new prison or privatizing operations. He says those rumors are baseless and says "people who are involved in spreading that rumor should stop immediately."

He says doing so is a workplace violation that will be "strictly enforced."

Wall adds, "Improper use of email causes problems and has cost people their jobs. Please don't be one of them."

Copyright 2013: Associated Press