Fired because of Facebook???

TDCHIM · Mar 11, 2011

New court ruling has just come out that it is illegal for employers to fire employees who write disparaging remarks about their employers on social media sites. HOWEVER if they were talking about a patient, hipaa and what not, those are grounds. Now if they work in a right to work state they can be fired because their hair is red. So even if that is the reason they got fired, the official reason will be written as something else.

What court ruling? The only recent social media-related matter I've heard of lately was the out-of-court settlement of the case in which the National Labor Review Board sued a Connecticut employer for firing a paramedic after she made critical remarks about a supervisor on Facebook. I was actually disappointed it was settled, because right now the law doesn't cover what rights (if any) employees have with regard to employer-related speech via social media. On the other hand, it wasn't the world's strongest case for the NLRB and there are certainly plenty of other such instances that could be challenged.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

There is no law about this! We just had a mandatory inservice for every employee of our hospital that went over the new networking policy. What it comes down to is...don't poop where you sleep!

If your hospital doesn't have a policy it soon will! And if you make your wall private make sure you make everything friends only.

kygavin · Mar 11, 2011

Yes you hear this type of thing with facebook a lot lately. You just have to be smart about it. Rule of thumb: Even though FB can be "private", post like everyone has access to it. Do not ever post anything bad about anybody or anyplace. FB changes their privacy settings often and your page can go to default settings without you knowing. Do not post anything that would offend someone like your grandmother or boss!!!

Jenni811, RN · Mar 11, 2011

my cousin, who is a firefighter, we grew up together and are very close. he is one of my best friends, so i hate admitting that he is very racist. i am not. it really bothers me but i still love him very much and wish i could change it about him. anyway...point of this is, he got fired from his job because he made a racist comment about a coworker on his facebook status. he has had a difficult time finding a job again. it took about 2 years before he found anything again-- you would think this would change his veiws atleast a little, but it never did.

i don't know how i feel about the whole situation, i mean if something is said on facebook, thats on our personal time. work has no control over what i do when i am out of work. not saying i woud do anything like that, i'm just saying i don't like work controlling everything i do and say.

LACA, BSN, LPN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

I am an elementary school nurse and MANY of my coworkers here at the school are also FB friends of mine---we joke around, talk, and discuss funny things or upcoming events at school on FB...we do NOT mention students names or anything like that and nothing negative is ever said about where we work. FB is great when you use it the right way and use some common sense in what you post or participate in.

ckh23, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

Wow! And that is not considered a violation of free speech?

Look up what "freedom of speech" actually is. There are certain things you cannot say without getting in trouble, also look up slander.

You would be surprised what you can be fired for when you are an at will employee. As long as it is not discriminatory, ie age, race, gender, etc, you can be pretty much fired for anything without cause, unless you are covered by a collective bargaining agreement.

DPSGraduateNurse · Mar 11, 2011

People get fired from their own regular work place just for logging onto to facebook or the internet overall - internet policy violation. It's simple, you're at work don't access facebook, myspace, etc unless it is truly work related. It's almost a given and people wonder why they got fired????????....SMH!!!!

mentalhealthRN · Mar 11, 2011

I decided to resign from FB.....decided I didn't want my "stuff" out there and it's not worth risking a job over. And let me tell you. I went through withdrawal at first but am glad I quit.......it gets addicting!! lol

TheCareerStudent · Mar 11, 2011

Since when do you feel immune from your opinions, comments, or actions?
Why do you feel that you are not responsible for impropriety? Listen, "Freedom of Speech" as defined by the US Constitution protects you from prosecution from the government. It does not give you a free pass to say or do what you want to about anyone or anything without consequences. You show your ass and you get fired. The government won't hold it against you but your friends, neighbors or employers do. Facebook is public domain. Say the wrong things and you're gone. Completely justifiable.

EmergencyNrse-

You rock! :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah: :yeah:

Could not have said it better myself! :bowingpur:bowingpur:bowingpur:bowingpur

DNP2b · Mar 11, 2011

I heard through the grapevine that two RN's at a hospital were fired yesterday over a thread that they participated in on Facebook.... I do know that the posts were not made during their working hours but can not say EXACTLY what was said in these posts...but how on earth could that be legal if they posted what ever they did on their OWN time? I do know it was not Mediaographic in nature.....I'm just in shock. Anyone have heard of this happening or have any thoughts:eek:

Facebook is a great tool, but for professionals we need to be cautious. What are we putting on facebook? I have heard of nurses doing strip teases and putting those photos on facebook, or taking a patients body part or xrays and putting on facebook. Just think if this was your mom or pop... It is wrong and yes they should be punished. What is sad is they lost there jobs...

DNP2b · Mar 11, 2011

Since when do you feel immune from your opinions, comments, or actions?
Why do you feel that you are not responsible for impropriety? Listen, "Freedom of Speech" as defined by the US Constitution protects you from prosecution from the government. It does not give you a free pass to say or do what you want to about anyone or anything without consequences. You show your ass and you get fired. The government won't hold it against you but your friends, neighbors or employers do. Facebook is public domain. Say the wrong things and you're gone. Completely justifiable.

Thanks my ER sibling!

joanna73, BSN, RN · Mar 11, 2011

The facebook issue is easily solved. I use facebook, however, using these rules:

Friends only. Everyone else is blocked. And only select friends.

I generally don't post my picture in my profile, so I'm not easy to locate

My position and exact place of employment is not listed

I don't 'friend' coworkers.

And, most importantly, I post vague details about work. We are all well aware of confidentiality.

Very easy to avoid potential problems this way. I'm always surprised when people fail to understand the need to be careful with social networking sites. Even allnurses. I don't broadcast to my coworkers that I use this site. I don't need people lurking around here either.