Trouble due to FB

WasntMe_2

There's a bit of trouble at the moment due to the goings on on fb.

The basic jist is a co-worker was quite upset with his immediate superiors, so labelled them "*******". I'm sure you can think of something to submit in there, but you get the idea.

Anyway, this is a builders type of working environment - we're hairy sweaty blokes & as such don't give each other hugs & kisses in a morning & a bunch of flowers. As such, we wind each other up, call each other lazy, so on & so forth - it's all banter & we get along well enough & have known each other long enough where each of us knows that it's nothing personal, it's just banter (i'm not talking about the above insult here - as that one actually wasn't banter).

Anyway, so i respond with a winding up remark something on the lines of telling the lad he better pull his finger out & start doing a hard days work. He didn't get upset - because he knows it's just banter, we even laughed about it the next day at work. Please none of the "but he may be crying on the inside" replies - trust me, we all just take it in good crack.

Another lad responded telling him to get it off his chest & a 3rd said what a hero he was & how he was the best at his job etc.

Following day the superiors go running upstairs to report it (after previously slating this approach in the past to me when another lad runs off reporting - they like to pride themselves on sorting things out without involving management).

I've had a few days break, but during that time, the other 2 lads have told me they've been hauled in & given a right dressing down over it. For christs sake - one of them only told him to get it off his chest & that was the extent of his reply.


From what i've been told, the company are seeking legal advice as to whether they can sack this chap for insulting his superiors on facebook.

I've been pre-warned by the others that i'm to expect a big time dressing down when i return. My question here is what punishment could i realistically be met with? Would/could such comments result in disciplinary action or dismissal? I would assume ours wouldn't result in dismissal. I can't even see how they'd be bad enough to warrant disciplinary action either. My co worker who did the insulting on the other hand, i'm not so sure.



All sounds extremely childish to me, but what can you do. As a result my fbhas been heavily tweaked just in case sensitive souls take what i say the wrong way again.

KiKi

Comments on FB can potentially be gross misconduct, yes. It could be for bringing the company into disrepute, or for comments about your managers etc.

You shouldn't have commented on the original remark - however, at least you didn't join in the slagging off, that will go in your favour. Apologise, apologise, apologise, play dumb and humble and you'll probably get away with a dressing down. Get arsey and you may end up with a verbal or written warning.

Never, ever, ever give your co-workers access to anything on FB - because, as you've found out, at some point someone will cry "I don't like that" and it will become a work problem.

KiKi

Yorkie1

Is there an internet usage policy? If there is, then the chances of the company making something more of it are greater. However, if your co-workers haven't been specifically disciplined, and you have no worse previous disciplinary record than they do, then I would have thought that they'd treat you the same as them.

WasntMe_2

I know what you're saying. I'm trying to paint an accurate picture without going too much into detail on which person said what...

No company was mentioned, no names were specifically mentioned. The employers name is not listed on the chaps page. He just named the office & grouped them. For example "the orders office are XYZ".

I made no remark in support of him - neither did anyone else. I actually got along fine with those he had/has a problem with. I suspect that will change if they've landed me in it (they really don't like this chap, so i know why they've reported him - but as a result, others are copping it). If i called them the exact same, i would happily put money on it that they'd laugh it off & then call me something back & that'd be the end of it. They just don't like this lad. That isn't my opinion ........ one of the two has actually told me they don't like him & would like him sacked (& that was before this episode).

My fb account has been restricted in such a way that they can't see anything i put now really. In fact i'll probably just delete them as it'll be much easier.

All a bit silly really.

WasntMe_2

Yorkie1 wrote: »

Is there an internet usage policy? If there is, then the chances of the company making something more of it are greater. However, if your co-workers haven't been specifically disciplined, and you have no worse previous disciplinary record than they do, then I would have thought that they'd treat you the same as them.

AFAIK you're only supposed to use the internet for work related matters.

That said, the two who did the reporting have access to the net at work, the rest of us use the net at home, so nobody is going to get told for using the net when they shouldn't.

My record is currently clean & has been for some years. My previous record is worse than the others who commented, however i've served my 'sentence' for those 'crimes' and if i've been informed correctly, once you've served your time, they can't use it against you in a future case, especially if the two cases are totally unrelated.

WasntMe_2

KiKi wrote: »

Get arsey and you may end up with a verbal or written warning.

So telling them something on the lines of "come on, isn't all this just a little childish" would not be recommended then?

MT90

WasntMe wrote: »

AFAIK you're only supposed to use the internet for work related matters.

That said, the two who did the reporting have access to the net at work, the rest of us use the net at home, so nobody is going to get told for using the net when they shouldn't.

My record is currently clean & has been for some years. My previous record is worse than the others who commented, however i've served my 'sentence' for those 'crimes' and if i've been informed correctly, once you've served your time, they can't use it against you in a future case, especially if the two cases are totally unrelated.

Internet policy doesn't mean what you can do at work, it regulates acceptable behaviour outside of work with regards to the company. Like slagging of the company/boss/customers on facebook/twitter. Anything that MAY make the company look bad will be covered.

I had a colleague few years back who put nasty comments about an individual staff member on FB, got sacked.

KiKi

WasntMe wrote: »

So telling them something on the lines of "come on, isn't all this just a little childish" would not be recommended then?

It wouldn't be high on my list, no.

pickpocketlocket

MT90 wrote: »

Internet policy doesn't mean what you can do at work, it regulates acceptable behaviour outside of work with regards to the company. Like slagging of the company/boss/customers on facebook/twitter. Anything that MAY make the company look bad will be covered.

I had a colleague few years back who put nasty comments about an individual staff member on FB, got sacked.

Whilst the internet policy may cover the use of social media, it would also come under the implied duty of mutual trust and confidence. Hence such a stipulation need not be in writing, in order for the employer to be able to take disciplinary action.

WasntMe_2

Thanks for the clear up.

I would like to hope that i wouldn't be sacked over winding up. As i say, my record is clean & others have done the same & are still there, so i think it would be pretty harsh for me to be given the boot when i wasn't actually slagging anyone off.

I will assure them that this wont happen in future. Right now they're on restricted access to my account. After the call up, i'll likely just delete them altogether to save hassle in future as they can't be trusted.

KiKi

I don't think you'd be dismissed for it, but remain humble to avoid any warning at all!