How to handle an employee's offensive social media post

AP ^ | 2/18/25 | JOYCE M. ROSENBERG

[tbw2]

This article has an employment lawyer as saying you have to fire people who post inappropriate things - including non-PC opinions.

[tbw2]

IMO, this article is getting dangerously close to "if they post non-PC opinions online, that's a basis for firing someone". Is that interpretation accurate?

[rfreedom4u]

There is nothing on my social media account that links me to my employer. If there were I’m sure I’d be hearing about it daily and probably would have been fired a while ago. I am not PC at all. One of my co-workers said I’m only non-PC when on facebook but I set him straight. The only time I am PC is at work and even then I slip sometimes.

[nathanbedford]

And that is only a half step away from being the basis to require compulsory firing.

[Hulka]

Keeping with FR tradition, I have not read the article but will comment anyway.

As long as the person posting in no way associated himself/herself with the business, then sure, leave them alone.

If that person identifies in any way where they work, then fire them for probably insulting at least half of your business base.

[eyeamok]

“if they post non-PC opinions online, that’s a basis for firing someone”. Is that interpretation accurate?

That’s the way I see it also, Thank God I am self employed

[Sans-Culotte]

One of the reasons I closed down my Facebook account.

[sten]

abortion, homo marriage and drug use is very offensive.

good to know we can fire anyone tweeting support for any of it

[Cry if I Wanna]

Keeping with FR tradition, I have not read the article but will comment anyway.

LOL!

[Secret Agent Man]

It seems to make sense if a person posts opinions online but has no mention of where they work, there’s no intent there to be seen as speaking for the business, no way that can somehow be smeared onto the business they work at. No potential grounds for being fired.

I don’t see how they can be linked if they don’t ever make people directly aware of it. If they don’t then I don’t know how they could be.

[St_Thomas_Aquinas]

When the feds take control of the internet, prepare for the jihad against conservatives.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

Thank God I am self employed

Really? You have no customers?

[Regal]

I live in a “Right to WOrk” state which means that all employment is at will and your employer can fire you for any or no reason. You have a job because your boss let’s you have a job.

[NormsRevenge]

Pray tell.

What is the definition of non-PC?

Wouldn’t want to offend anyone unknowingly, yaknow.

Like sheep being led to the slaughter..

Wake-Up America!!!

[Steve_Seattle]

The staffer was an idiot to post her comments on the company's Facebook page, and the company has a clear right to prohibit that. But I draw the line with a person's personal Facebook page, regardless of whether they identify their place of employment. To me, that is free speech.

Also, the idea of "offensive" or "inappropriate" comments is always defined in terms of what what LIBERALS find offensive. Comments offensive to conservatives never seem to cause a problem.

[Anitius Severinus Boethius]

Can you quit for any or no reason? If so, then your boss only has an employee because you let him have an employee.

[Steve_Seattle]

"It seems to make sense if a person posts opinions online but has no mention of where they work . . . "

You're ceding too much ground, IMHO. Even if someone doesn't mention their employer on Facebook, somebody else could point that out, and you'd still be screwed. So before long conservative opinions would be entirely self-censored from Facebook. Bye bye, free speech.

[Hulka]

Yeah. . .I crack me up. . .

;-)

[Buckeye McFrog]

The opinions expressed are not those of Mullaney's Sewer Sucking Service, it's management, staff, or any of it's subsidiaries.

[GeronL]

That is crazy.

Mark of the beast stuff there.

[SpinnerWebb]

What is the definition of non-PC?

I'll take "Things Conservative Christians Believe" for 1000, Alec.