I am sure you have heard of employees exploiting their work environment on social media for all to see. Whether they intentionally did it or were in a moment of frustration, the consequences can be difficult, often resulting in termination. See what happens when workplace harassment leaks onto social media.
The National Labor Relations Board, which has been re-energized under the Obama Administration, affirmed an Administrative Law Judge’s ruling that the nonprofit, Hispanics United of Buffalo, Inc. violated the National Labor Relations Act by terminating five employees for comments they made on Facebook in response to a coworker’s criticism of their job performance.
Two coworkers employed by HUB to assist victims of domestic violence regularly frequently communicated with each other using text messages outside of work. One weekend day one of the coworkers received a text (“recipient” from the other coworker (“sender”) criticizing the recipient’s job performance and stating that the sender planned to report the recipient to the Executive Director of the organization.
The recipient then posted a note on her Facebook page stating: “[Sender], a coworker feels that we don’t help our clients enough…I about had it! My fellow coworkers, how do u feel?”
Four off-duty employees responded to the note on Facebook objecting to the criticism of their work by the [sender]. The [sender] responded on Facebook and demanded that the [recipient] “stop with ur lies about me.” The [sender] then complained about the Facebook comments to the executive director of the organization.
The executive director then fired the recipient and the four coworkers for “bullying and harassing” the [sender] on Facebook citing its “zero tolerance” for harassment policy. None of the employees were represented by a union.
The primary issue was whether the employees’ Facebook postings constituted concerted activity. The Board upheld the ALJ’s determination that the employees’ comments of protest with other employees were concerted activity because the communications related to an employment complaint against one employee, and the postings were an important step in defending themselves against the accusations which they had reason to believe the [sender] was going to make to management.
The Board rejected the organization’s claim that the employees were fired pursuant to the “zero-tolerance policy” because “legitimate managerial concerns to prevent harassment do not justify policies that discourage the free exercise of Section 7 rights by subjecting employees to . . . discipline on the basis of the subjective reactions of others to their protected activity.”
The NLRB’s decision is a step closer to creating a “zone of protected activity” over every discussion or communication about employment even when it has nothing to do with a union or union activity. Moreover, the NLRB has demonstrated that it will protect communications that are remotely connected to “organizing” or group activity.
With social media continuing its popularity, it is important for employers to tread carefully when any potential disciplinary action is based on communications among employees. It is also important to remember to think twice about what you are posting on social media, especially regarding work. The internet is an open book.
For more information on workplace discrimination and harassment contact Attorney Aryeh Leichter your California employment law attorney.
Via JD Supra Law News