Update: Employers’ Regulation of Employees’ Social Media Use
March 1, 2011Our November 17, 2010 blog entry titled “NLRB’s After Us and We’re Not Even Unionized” indicated:
In a recent, somewhat frightening development, the NLRB has recently filed a complaint alleging that American Medical Response of Connecticut, Inc. (AMR) violated Section 7 of the act by terminating an employee for posting negative comments about her supervisor on her Facebook page. AMR has a social media policy that prohibits employees from disparaging the company and its supervisors in social media posts, even when posting while off-duty and using a personal computer. Apparently, the policy did not include a disclaimer that the policy would not be construed or applied in a manner that interferes with employees’ rights under the NLRA. The Board’s complaint is also noteworthy because of the fact that it appears to allege that merely having an anti-disparagement social networking policy violates Section 7 even if the employer does not actually apply the policy and impose discipline.
As an update to this, the NLRB and the employer, AMR have settled the matter prior to it being heard by an administrative law judge. Therefore, we will not know which direction the ALJ would have ruled.
In another recent case, the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld an employer’s right to regulate the type of material that an employee posts on her Myspace page. In Marshall v. City of Savannah, the female firefighter employee posted some questionable photos of herself on the internet. Her employer, being informed of this by a co-worker, was able to view the photos because her status on the site was not “private,” allowing anyone to see them. The employer decided to issue the employee an oral reprimand, the lowest form of punishment available, based on the photos’ bringing “discredit to the City and Savannah Fire Department.” During the counseling session, the employee became very abusive and hostile and was, accordingly, terminated. She sued her employer claiming sex and race discrimination. While the Court sided with the employer, it did so only because the female employee was unable to show that men were treated more favorably than she was.
While this case is less about an employer’s right to regulate an employee’s social media content and more about the individual’s inability to prove any discrimination, it is a helpful ruling for employers. However, we can be certain that the NLRB, which will not be bound by the 11th Circuit’ ruling, will continue to push the boundaries of the National Labor Relations Act, especially Section 7 of the Act which protects employees’ concerted protected activities. Given the fact that the Board now enjoys a Democratic majority along with an Administration that is pro-labor, employers, both unionized and non-union, would be wise to pay careful attention to which way the wind is blowing.