An interesting article in today’s Wall Street Journal addresses the growing trend of employers firing workers over postings on such sites as Facebook. Next week the National Labor Relations Board is expected to rule in the first case of this type. The article then goes on to describe other cases of this type where people have lost their job over social network postings:
In Georgia, former high school teacher Ashley Payne sued the local school district in the Superior Court of Barrow County, claiming she was essentially forced to resign over Facebook photos that showed her drinking alcohol during a European vacation, said her attorney, Richard J. Storrs.
“What Ashley was doing was extremely innocent,”” Mr. Storrs said. “She was on vacation and holding a glass of wine.””
This epidemic is becoming very troublesome for employers and employees. In all honesty, people should be free to do what they want once they are off the clock. The fact that people have to walk on pins and needles when at home, for fear of repercussion at work, goes against everything this country stands for. It’s time for employers to recognize that our society and the way we communicate is changing and that they need to adapt to that.