Fired by Facebook
What does your morning consist of? A cup of coffee and posts to Facebook about your day, your job, your boss? Firings as a result of Facebook activities are on the rise. Be warned!
Some employees have been fired when they claimed to be too sick to come to work, but then spent the day in front of the computer posting on Facebook. In June of this year, Tri City Medical Center in San Diego fired five California nurses after discovering the nurses were discussing patient cases on the site. Not only were they fired, but the California Department of Health investigated the situation to determine whether privacy laws had been violated.
"Yes, you have a First Amendment right to free speech," says Employment Lawyer Diane Smith of Burg Simpson. "but that won't necessarily protect you from being terminated if you violate your employer's trust or policies or if something you say is offensive or damaging to your employer."
For further information on social media and employment law issues, contact Burg Simpson toll free 1.888.895.2080.
