While employers and employees “friending” each other over social networks may seem natural, this tends to cause a number of problems for employees. Many people have lost jobs for posting offensive, inappropriate, or damning pictures or status updates.
So what can employees and employers do individually to avoid these kinds of issues? Use common sense, and try not to spy on one another, advises VentureBeat columnist Curtis Smolar.
Many laws prevent discipline for “lawful conduct occurring during non-working hours away from the employer’s premises,” but “conduct in direct conflict with the essential enterprise-related interests of the employer” are actionable. But employers need to remember that Facebook and other social media platforms are not one-way mirrors, and any and all statements could wind up as evidence in a lawsuit.
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