Fired for Tweeting?
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As social networking among employees becomes second nature, employers are increasingly confronted with a difficult dilemma? What to do with the employee who the employer learns has posted a derogatory and potentially damaging post on the employee's Facebook, Twitter or other social networking page?
In a recent report on CNNMoney.com, a 22 year old candidate for a position with Cisco who was pursuing her master's degree in information management and systems at Berkeley, posted on the micro-blogging site, Twitter. She wrote: "Cisco offered me a job! Now I have to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work." A managerial employee saw the post and responded with the tweet : "Who is the hiring manager? I'm sure they would love to know that you will hate the work. We here at Cisco are versed in the Web." While the applicant apologized on her personal blog, explaining that she was merely being sarcastic and had already rejected the offer, the issue is front and center in the minds of employees, applicants and employers alike. How safe are you on in the social media arena?
Although there is very little in the way of guidance in the law yet as social media has only recently exploded, the answer is fairly clear from decisions in other similar areas of employment law. You are not safe at all. If you post something in such a public arena, assume it will be read by everyone, including your employer and be prepared to accept the consequences. Employees have no right to privacy on things they post in the public domain. Your employer is free to read it and to react as they deem appropriate given the nature of the post, assuming of course, no discriminatory motive for any decision they might make. In a nutshell, if you wouldn't say it to your boss, you probably shouldn't put it on Facebook, Myspace or in a tweet.
Image: switched.com
