Just a reminder to watch what you say!

lancedac · Jul 6, 2011

As adults and citizens we have a duty to protect our liberties so I don't think workers should allow employers to censor them unduly. Surely, free speech protects your right to gripe that you had a bad day at work today? On the other hand reality is going to force most individuals to absorb such overreach by employers. But I would expect that if someone is disciplined for such a trivial issue they would push back appropriately.

holisticallyminded · Jul 6, 2011

Folks, we live in a surveillance state. We're being monitored constantly. When choosing to put voluntary information out there for others to track, we have to remember this. So if you choose to use FB, you could choose to either never tag it to your place of employment or "friend" anybody at work or keep things very, very clean and PC. I chose the former and have set my security settings so high that I am no longer found. But thinking of leaving the site anyhow because I'm pretty over it.

And check out what's been going on with FB UK, because it's coming to us very soon. If you're really smart, you'd end the insanity and get off FB now.

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/06/07/facebook_facial_recognition_on_by_default/

Wishinonastar, BSN · Jul 6, 2011

I do agree, but I do not think that you should post your employer on a Facebook page. Opinions can be seen as libelous and it is way too easy to complain when you are tired and want to vent. Set your security level to friends only, keep work and personal lives separate as much as you are able, and don't list your employer.

I Googled myself and there is this creepy stalker who critiques letters to the editor on his own website. Well I have written letters a couple of times and there are my letters and his critiques on his website- out there for anyone to read. It is disturbing. I quit doing them for a while because of him, but you know I have a right to write my opinion as much as he does. I figure he is a bully who makes himself look bad by picking every letter apart. He must have no life. I am tempted to write a letter to the editor about it. LOL

I think if we silence ourselves too much we are in effect losing our rights as you say. The more we give in, the more they will take away. We are becoming sheep.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2011

"i assume that the ptb's at work have technicians who do nothing but monitor staff for websurfing, email and other activities at work like every other mainstream corporaton does. i also assume that if i log into the hospitals computer from home, then my email addy has been "caught" and i am at risk of being followed all over the web. this is how it's done people, and you all need to wake up."

they don't need to pay people to do this (like robert redford in day of the condor, who spent all day reading books for the cia, lol), because there are computer programs marketed to employers that read all emails going through their systems set to pick up certain words or phrases. when an email spits out, a live person looks at it. there are lists of default things, like hate, stress, boss, dangerous, and the like, but the employer can also add specific words, such as names of staff, customers, or business-specific terms. never, never, never use a company email system to contact coworkers on non-work-related topics, only on that for which you are required to use it; even on them, use the fewest possible number of words to communicate what has to be communicated, and shut up.

i learned about this the hard way, when, as a new hire, i went out to lunch with the others and our boss. we were all having such a good time talking about our kids, home, etc., as nurses do, and i said, "let's exchange home email addresses so we can stay in touch outside of work." there was quiet and then a lot of sideways glances at the boss, who sat with a frozen smile on her face. as time passed i learned that she was a major control freak and did her best to keep us separated (we all worked remotely), and certainly didn't want us socializing. we got around her, but it was scary when i got an email from another employee telling me that he was on emergent medical leave for high stress (bp was >290 systolic in the md office and the doc took him out of work on the spot), and they contacted me about it to find out what i knew about it. i left soon thereafter.

jacobstein · Jul 6, 2011

I think some HR people are a little bored so they have become the Internet Gestapo. And I believe in most states, this is legal. Just incidentally, I lost my job 20 months ago because my CEO didn't like my blog (which was in no way work related, it's about my religion). I was fired for "Unacceptable Use of the company's Internet email system". Still unemployed and I'm now going into bankruptcy and foreclosure.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jul 6, 2011

fyi y'all

on may 18, 2011, the national labor relations board (the "nlrb") announced its issuance of a complaint against hispanics united of buffalo ("hub") arising out of hub's termination of five employees who posted comments on facebook criticizing hub's working conditions. as we previously posted with regard to the in re american medical response of connecticut, inc. case the nlrb lodged a similar charge against american medical response of connecticut, inc. ("amr") on october 27, 2010 based on that company's termination of an employee who posted remarks about her supervisor on her facebook page.

in the hub case, the complaint claims that one employee used facebook to post a co-worker's allegation that workers were not doing enough to help the organization's clients. that prompted other employees to defend their job performance and criticize workload and staffing issues. hub claimed that the facebook comments constituted harassment of the co-worker who originally posted the comment and, therefore, the terminations were justified. the nlrb, however, disagrees.

the national labor relations act makes it an unfair labor practice to take an adverse employment action against employees because they engage in "protected concerted activity". employees engage in "protected concerted activity" when they, among other things, discuss working conditions with other employees. the nlrb takes the position that comments made on facebook are analogous to conversations among co-workers and thus constitute protected concerted activity.

the interplay between employees' rights and social networking under the national labor relations act may not become clear for sometime. however, there should be some clarity once a case gets tried before an administrative law judge. with regard to the hub termination, a hearing is set for june 22, 2011 before an administrative law judge in buffalo.

the nlrb has now made its position clear with regard to employee comments about working conditions made on social networking websites such as facebook. as a result of the nlrb's position and pending litigation, employers should review their social networking policies to ensure that the policies themselves do not prohibit lawful activity and invite an nlrb charge.

Wishinonastar, BSN · Jul 6, 2011

A religious blog? Did you do this at work? We all need to realize that we can't do personal things at work. It seems so unfair sometimes, when we are there for more hours of our life than anywhere else. I really try not to do anything at work that is not related to work, unless it is an emergency like looking up a car repair place or something. A religious blog at work is definitely a no-no. We are not really supposed to even discuss religion at work.

Still, my heart goes out to you. I have been down the unemployment route and I live in fear of it happening again. It destroyed my self esteem. I have no self confidence at all now. I just want to work my days without trying to move up the ladder or anything anymore. I just want to work quietly and stay out of the limelight until I can retire or die.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jul 6, 2011

fyi y'all
on may 18, 2011, the national labor relations board (the "nlrb") announced its issuance of a complaint against hispanics united of buffalo ("hub") arising out of hub's termination of five employees who posted comments on facebook criticizing hub's working conditions. as we previously posted with regard to the in re american medical response of connecticut, inc. case the nlrb lodged a similar charge against american medical response of connecticut, inc. ("amr") on october 27, 2010 based on that company's termination of an employee who posted remarks about her supervisor on her facebook page.
in the hub case, the complaint claims that one employee used facebook to post a co-worker's allegation that workers were not doing enough to help the organization's clients. that prompted other employees to defend their job performance and criticize workload and staffing issues. hub claimed that the facebook comments constituted harassment of the co-worker who originally posted the comment and, therefore, the terminations were justified. the nlrb, however, disagrees.
the national labor relations act makes it an unfair labor practice to take an adverse employment action against employees because they engage in "protected concerted activity". employees engage in "protected concerted activity" when they, among other things, discuss working conditions with other employees. the nlrb takes the position that comments made on facebook are analogous to conversations among co-workers and thus constitute protected concerted activity.
the interplay between employees' rights and social networking under the national labor relations act may not become clear for sometime. however, there should be some clarity once a case gets tried before an administrative law judge. with regard to the hub termination, a hearing is set for june 22, 2011 before an administrative law judge in buffalo.
the nlrb has now made its position clear with regard to employee comments about working conditions made on social networking websites such as facebook. as a result of the nlrb's position and pending litigation, employers should review their social networking policies to ensure that the policies themselves do not prohibit lawful activity and invite an nlrb charge.

it's about time some litigation starts about social network sites an unlawful retribution from employers!

Chiggysmom · Jul 6, 2011

I have a page on a social network site. Mentioned that I had a bad night, for three nights. Recently, I got called into my boss's office. There were COPIES of my page sitting on the desk. I was told to watch what I say, because by saying I had a bad night, it was bad for the company image. Then I was told that my page would be monitered closely for the next few months:mad: I went home and immediately upped my privacy settings to and took down my place of employment. I felt completely violated.
Just want to gently remind everyone, be very careful what you put up on websites. I don't drink, smoke or get high. I never post any inappropriate pictures. If I can get called out for posting that I had a bad night, it can happen to anyone. Oh, the world we live in....

I think it's really quite disgusting that you're being spied on like that! I mean it's not like you were making libelous comments about your employer! I think this is a good example of the employer crossing the line. You were makng the comment that you had a bad night on your own computer and on your own time and I don't see how that should be any business of the hospital where you work? I think this is really wrong. Warning taken though.

Chiggysmom · Jul 6, 2011

Even on here I feel weird posting but take the risk and don't care. When I complain, the complaints are real and legit. Big brother is watching you everywhere, even at home.(insert horror movie music)...... creepy but I guess eventually we will all be used to it.

Wow a book I recently read called The Forsaken comes to mind. It was about soviet Russia under Stallin's reign and they took over 20 million people off to work camps and killed waaaaay more than Hitler (making Hitler look like Walt Disney) ever even thought of killing. Anyway, Stallin had all kinds of spies, parents, spouses, children, etc. , spying equipment in people's houses and if they even remotely thought that you were an enemy of the state, they came and got you and either worked you to death in the work camps or outright killed you. I'm only saying this because, this police state that we're living in is NOT a positive thing and like sheeple we just accept it as common for today's society but this kind of thing can take on a life of it's own, so to speak and end up disasterously like it did for the Russsian people and the Jews of Germany/Europe! Our lives and thoughts/feelings outside of the hospital should be our own, unless we are being obviously libelous in our comments about our employer! Just saying . . .

lilhelper · Jul 6, 2011

I worked in the HR department of a company. They would call an employee in for a disciplinary meeting and give them a screen printout of their AIM chats.

Rob72, ASN, RN · Jul 6, 2011

That is ridiculous. freedom of speech and expression taken away from us outside the workplace?

Freedoms come with responsibility, though that hasn't been well-taught in school for close to 50 years it often seems. We are free to say whatever we wish, crying because we don't like the consequences is irrelevant and immature.

Rather like a guy streaking the World Series or the Super Bowl, then being upset because 250,000 people are laughing because he has a small wee-wee.

GrnTea is absolutely right, which is why I make it a habit to use phrases like "the bomb", "blasted", "blow up", "going great guns", "murderous", and so forth, on a regular basis. Keepem' entertained.