Can Employees Be Fired For Facebook Post?

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Can Employees Be Fired For Facebook Post? Over
the years, Facebook has evolved into one of the
most powerful and influential social networks.
And its 2.23 Billion active users attest to this
fact. One can only imagine the number of people
one can reach with a post through Facebook. So,
even a single erroneous post can turn around the
fortune of a person, or company, and
vice-versa. The question which now arises is
that should employees be fired for Facebook
posts? The answer to whether a person
should/shouldnt be fired for Facebook posts
cannot be answered in black or white. So, we can
expect ambiguous answers in such a
case. Employees while signing the joining letter
should also be made to sign a letter that
contains social media clauses of the company.
Most companies miss this crucial part. In such a
case, even if someone puts anything offensive to
the spirit of the company even inadvertently,
he/she is fired. This is an inadequate practice
to take place. There should be a minimum
threshold of nuisance that can be tolerated by
the company. Firing people without any major
reason can also come across as violation of
employee rights. But a companys reputation
should also not be undermined. A brand is built
by years of efforts on the part of the
management. In such scenario, a single post can
prove fatal to a companys brand value. For
instance, an irresponsible and indolent employee
can try to sabotage his companys reputation by
writing negative things about his organization on
social media. Sometimes these seemingly benign
things cost Millions to the company or even
Billions. Such employees should immediately be
fired for Facebook posts. A 10 billion worth
company recently got bankrupt because of
allegations on social media. Posts on Facebook
can spread like a virus making them a deal maker
or breaker. On a serious note, the employer must
have the right to dismiss an employee because the
stakes in a company are very high. Someone might
even question that personal life and
professional life shouldnt be mixed. But the
thing most people miss is that social media
should not be meant to reveal secrets or damage
reputation of a firm. In todays times even if
one is not convicted of a crime, a mere
allegation can completely damage years of
credibility. A fine line must be drawn by the
company and they should also state all their
social media clauses while hiring an individual.
Doing so is important because many a times the
employee is not aware of his social media
limitations. But he/she ought to be fired for
Facebook posts if he/she crosses the company
regulations.