I have a friend that was fired from her job the other day for having a myspace account. I do know that it is legal for a company to terminate any employees who are leaking company information on the internet. I can assure you that this is not the case because my friend works as an assistant manager at a grocery store. She was at work when she was suddenly called to the back, where a printout of her entire myspace account was thrown down on a table in front of her. The owner of the company then told her that he did not want "someone like her" working for his company!!! I do not think that is legal is it? I reviewed her accout, and all it has posted on it is some quizzes she had taken online which included references of alocohol consumption and sexual preferences. I do not think that it would really make the company look bad because she is over 21 so it is legal for her to drink and have sex! Does my friend have any legal rights in this case...please HELP!!!!!
2006-07-24 10:14:37 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in News & Events ➔ Other - News & Events
Check her page out on myspace.com i do not know her screenname on there but her name is kendra antwine and she works at davids supermarket in moody, texas
hmm i guess i worded that wrong earlier i did not mean she was lesbian when i put "sexual preference" or whatever i put earlier...lol
I also understand that there are at least 3 more people still working there that have myspace accounts and they admitted to their employer that they had them, but they have suffered no consequences as of yet...
I also know that it is legal to be fired for bloggin while working but again there is no internet connectin what-so-ever at the store she works at so all of this was written on her own time at her own home!
2006-07-24 10:19:04 · update #1
no they are NOT allowed to fire her for simply having a myspace account. but if shes blogging personal things shes done that are illegal or bad mouthing her company, etc, then yes they do have the right to fire her. not just for drinking and having sex though, thats not good enough reason, shes an adult and its not like shes doing these things while on the clock. ive heard of this happening alot lately and while i dont think its right, these people know they are publicizing their lives and that anyone can see it. personally, i think myspace is getting way out of control and ridiculous. i deleted my account but if she wants to keep hers, maybe just make her profile private. its not fair that people judge her based on that.
2006-07-24 10:26:41 · answer #1 · answered by tulips♥77 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure. She'll have to look up the laws relating to that in her state, because they'll differ from place to place. You do need to be aware, however, that more and more companies are looking people up online, even during the application process. If the hiring manager doesn't want to hire someone who drinks and engages in risque behavior on their off-time, they'll check it out and make a decision based on that. After all, some people may recognize her and where she works, and thus associate the employees and organization with whatever they happened to have witnessed. The internet isn't private because it's up for public viewing, and so is whatever you've posted. Google rules the world.
2006-07-24 10:35:25 · answer #2 · answered by gilgamesh 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
When you work for a small business, your public profile is important, especially if you are in a management position as she was. The law does not allow employers to hire & fire based on race, color or creed; however, it is pretty important to remember that anything we put on line will be seen by many people, and if we use real names and photos, we need to be sure that we don't mind telling the world all about us. If her employer felt that her public profile was an embarrassment, and he could no longer be comfortable with her on the front lines of his business, then he had a perfect right to dismiss her. She is free to do her thing, but not as his employee.
2006-07-24 10:25:55 · answer #3 · answered by mia2kl2002 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, one question is, was she working on the myspace account at work? The legalities of the firing really depend on the position held and the laws in your particular state. If she has a contracted position, she should refer to her contract. Some states can legally fire and hire at will--they do not need a reason. In this case, the only recourse is for those who can prove they were discriminated against based on race, sex, religion, etc.
2006-07-24 10:20:53 · answer #4 · answered by Kiki 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately, your friend may not have much ground to stand on with this one. She works closely with the public and public appearance whether on the job or off reflects upon the company she works for. So if the results of the quizzes she took makes her sound like a 'drunken hussy', then her boss has every right to let her go for 'advertising' the results and in turn making his company 'look bad' to the public eye.
2006-07-24 10:23:24 · answer #5 · answered by gorfette 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If she was fired for discrimination, she can sue. Otherwise, most jobs are "at will" meaning they can fire you for any reason, or no reason at all.
Remember, anything you say on the internet is not private. If you don't want people to see it, don't post it.
2006-07-24 10:26:58 · answer #6 · answered by John J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This is the info era. and that means no privacy. Companies are having employees surfing tracked down so that they can impose their moral judgments on the employees. Fight it if you must,
2006-07-24 10:21:37 · answer #7 · answered by Augie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no. workers here in the us have just about no rights whatsoever. fl for instance is a right to work state
2006-07-24 10:20:10 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋