Do you think employers have too much power over peoples private lives?

cassanova · #1 02-14-2011, 03:56 PM

I've read stories and know a few people that have been terminated from their jobs for simply posting on facebook about something that happened to them while at work.

Just curious to know what most of you think about a company being able to fire you over something you say on facebook or anywhere else other than at the work place. Some may and do argue, that this growing practice is corporations having a bit too much power and control over peoples private lives.

What say you?

Deluge Of Sound · #2 02-14-2011, 03:58 PM

Generally speaking, yes.

Re: facebook comments, dumb people posting on facebook is no different than dumb people doing anything else.

UncleFluffy · #3 02-14-2011, 04:01 PM

I've heard of people being fired - or not hired - for FB pictures of them drinking or doing something "unconventional" on their own time, and that seems unreasonable to me.

If someone is talking about their job on FB then it gets more of a case-by-case thing.

Were they talking **** about their employer or their boss? Revealing business information? Making lewd comments about co-workers? Sure, fire 'em. Complaining that the cafe food was boring? Probably not a firing offence.

hdracer · #4 02-14-2011, 04:01 PM

As a employer and business owner, I say yes.
If you do not like the job I provide for you and you do not like me or my managers, you know where the door is. If you publicly complain about me or my business, I will show you the door.

Selta · #5 02-14-2011, 04:02 PM

Didn't the Supreme Court just rule on this? I thought I read they have, and that they really can't do anything with information they gather from Facebook/twitter etc. Even if you're down talking your job/company.

Selta · #6 02-14-2011, 04:04 PM

Ah, here it is. Not the Supreme Court, but you are protected under federal labor laws:
http://www.cnbc.com/id/41463651

LSquared · #7 02-14-2011, 04:04 PM

I say it depends on what that "something" is.

If one of my employees posted that somebody brought in cupcakes today (which happened), I don't care. If that same employee posts company confidential information which was announced today? They're gone.

If they post that they spent most of the day downloading porn? Gone.

etc.

Edit: looking at RayS.'s link, I've got no problem w/ that decision. Online rants about your boss or coworkers aren't grounds for firing. Pretty stuipid, and sure won't get you promoted. But not grounds for firing.

Incidentally, I am a supervisor. Haven't come across this.

burk48237 · #8 02-14-2011, 04:07 PM

Most employers have confidentiality agreements and company "secrets" provisions in their work agreements. You may not think it's the companies business if you gossip about other employees or bosses on line but it is. Most companies have got dispute resolution mechanisms, when you bypass those mechanisms by gossiping about things on line they have every right to terminate you. If you think about it, what does it say about a companies product ( in many cases it's personnel are its product) if it's own employees are bad mouthing it on line?

The basic rules are, if in doubt, don't post it. I have to be careful because as a manufacturers rep I represent a couple of companies that compete with each other on a few items. Could one of them let me go because I bad mouthed their CEO or product? Sure, and they would do it with out hesitation. Personally, I think it's bad form to bad mouth the competition or your own company anyway. It's one thing in private conversation with relatives or close friends, but not posting it to a public forum.

i_got_a_mohawk · #9 02-14-2011, 04:13 PM

I agree with the "it depends" sentiment.

MatticusMania · #10 02-14-2011, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

I've read stories and know a few people that have been terminated from their jobs for simply posting on facebook about something that happened to them while at work.

Just curious to know what most of you think about a company being able to fire you over something you say on facebook or anywhere else other than at the work place. Some may and do argue, that this growing practice is corporations having a bit too much power and control over peoples private lives.

What say you?

A lot of companies are using social networking to advertise and spread awareness about their products & company. Negative comments about a company or product, especially from an employee, are not going to be fondly looked upon. Save your bitching for real life.

jp58 · #11 02-14-2011, 04:23 PM

Yes.

Between the stupidity that surrounds facebook, firing employees over sexual orientation, "random" drug testing, etc. corporations have too much control over their worker ants' lives.

C.Linton · #12 02-14-2011, 04:24 PM

There was a recent report about a teacher (IIRC) who was fired becasue of a picture on Facebook of her holding an alcoholic drink WHILE SHE WAS ON VACATION! Not behaving like an a$$ or anything like dancing on a table with her shirt off, but just standing there holding a drink. I'm thinking she might have a legal case against her employer because that is hardly a valid reason for termination.

MatticusMania · #13 02-14-2011, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp58

Yes.

Between the stupidity that surrounds facebook, firing employees over sexual orientation, "random" drug testing, etc. corporations have too much control over their worker ants' lives.

My company must not be on the ball at all. Firstly, I post from work, all (well 99%) the time. Secondly, the MySpace page I used to have openly admitted to my bisexuality, my pot usage, and every other aspect of my 'private' life, and yet I was recently promoted.

MatticusMania · #14 02-14-2011, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C.Linton

There was a recent report about a teacher (IIRC) who was fired becasue of a picture on Facebook of her holding an alcoholic drink WHILE SHE WAS ON VACATION! Not behaving like an a$$ or anything like dancing on a table with her shirt off, but just standing there holding a drink. I'm thinking she might have a legal case against her employer because that is hardly a valid reason for termination.

+1, unless there was a lot more to her termination that we are unaware of.

duff beer · #15 02-14-2011, 04:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp58

Yes.

Between the stupidity that surrounds facebook, firing employees over sexual orientation, "random" drug testing, etc. corporations have too much control over their worker ants' lives.

You can always open your own business and hire as many drug addicts as you want. Sometimes people forget that it is not their company and they don't get to make the rules. As long as the employer has just cause for firing, good for them and too bad for the former employee.

jp58 · #16 02-14-2011, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duff beer

You can always open your own business and hire as many drug addicts as you want. Sometimes people forget that it is not their company and they don't get to make the rules. As long as the employer has just cause for firing, good for them and too bad for the former employee.

None of the above are good reasons for firing. Nor are many of the others, like a teacher having a fruity drink in her hand while on vacation. The amount of control handed to a single person or small group of people is ridiculous.

And drug testing cannot really catch addicts. Meth is out of your system in 3 days, barbituates in 2, coke 2-5, heroin 4 days, methadone 2 days. Most addictive drugs are gone in less than a week. I hardly think that those tests are catching any true addicts.

UncleFluffy · #17 02-14-2011, 04:45 PM

It also depends on the details of the employment contract. I've had contracts that explicitly stated that I could be fired for breach of fiduciary duty. In that case - and probably a bunch of others - there's a higher standard of conduct required than without such explicit provisions.

**Staccato** · #18 02-14-2011, 04:48 PM

IMO, less than government. Congress (on the federal level) attempts to legislate our lives (and checkbook) much too often. There were significant delays by many states to ratify the US Constitution way back when. Those delays were accompanied by widespread concern that the Federal Gov't would too often attempt to trump states rights, and exercise too much control over US citizens.
The OP has raised an age old question.

**David Wilson** · #19 02-14-2011, 05:28 PM

no politics people. keep it on track or it will get closed

Skitch it! · #20 02-14-2011, 05:30 PM

Imo, it depends on what your saying, with the advent of 'tinternet, your going to get opinions from both the truly and justified discontented (which obviously the employer is not going to like), and railer's against policy just because they have a particular point of contention with their job, and decide to rubbish the company and customers.

I'm on the fence, but invasion of privacy is another matter as far as I'm concerned.

I think it's up to people to moderate and read between their own lines in such an open public medium, you've got to be a bit cleverer these days