Sacked for a facebook status update...any help/thoughts/advice?

ceridwen

Purplepumpkin wrote: »

Really crazy to see this post today. I was shocked earlier today when I seen that someone got fired for saying that they thought their job was boring on Facebook, seems employers are becoming paranoid of the impact of facebook these days.

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/5/20090226/tuk-sacked-for-calling-job-boring-on-fac-45dbed5.html

Honestly, I cant believe that companies would be so sad as to snoop on their employees like that outside of the workplace.

!:(

That is just plain ridiculous. If everyone who complained about their job being boring got sacked for doing so - then that would be at least 50% of us sacked instantly. As long as we are doing the job we are paid for to a reasonable standard - then our opinion of it is OUR business and we are entitled to express that opinion whenever and wherever we like. That is not telling other people the employers business or in any other way doing anything wrong - it is just exercising our right to freedom of speech. Mr and Miss Average-in-the-Street are entitled to do that.

The number of times I've stated that my job is boring - perhaps I'd better not even take off my coat at work today when I get there - and I'll head up the pub with 90% of the other staff there - as we'll all be in the same position;)

chivers1977

They'll be doing him for "bringing the Bank's name into disrepute" I bet. Don't hold out much hope for him. I know that one of my colleagues was reported for putting photos of colleagues in the office on Facebook with the Bank's name as the title of the album. Problem was apparently there were offensive remarks made re the staff members when the photos were tagged. Received a final warning for this - maybe because comments not about company but colleagues.

ceridwen

Jennifer_Jane wrote: »

Does anyone know if anything could be done to your pension if you complained about the Company? To me it's obviously not, but just wanted to check.

I'll tell anyone who'll listen what I earn, what bonusses etc. Seems to me it's only private because it's in the Company's interests not to have people discussing this. I think that's infringement of human rights. And I've probably told a huge number of people about how I disagree with Company policies, etc etc.

Why shouldn't I diss the Company - I work there (hard) and I get paid, that's the deal. It's not slavery - although feels that way...

Too much power - join the Union!

Jen
x

Last I heard - they couldnt take away your pension - even if you've done something criminal. It used to be the case they could until quite recently - but, as I understand it, that changed and pensions are now quite safe (in that respect anyway:cool: ). Best to take legal advice on that point - but my memory is that that was put right somewhere within the last 2-5 years.

Broccoli

I find this very worrying. But I know someone else it has happened to, it looks like it becoming a management tool.

Broccoli

After checking google, there is an interesteing quote here

She said: “Social networking sites such as Facebook and YouTube allow disgruntled staff the opportunity to bad mouth their bosses to a worldwide audience, or damage the company's reputation through silly stunts.

From the amount of articles the search has thrown up, it looks to be on a massive scale. I think this is commonplace in the states

brightonman123

this situation has just been on the radio1 news! apparantly a new member of staff at a small firm posted about how boring the job was..

some of her co-workers were added BY HER as friends, who then told the management.