The rise of social media has opened employers up to a wide range of new employment law risks. Everything from privacy issues to leave and disability concerns can come up when employees use social media. It only seems fitting to engage in a discussion about social media, using social media.
On Wednesday, Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. EST @ThompsonHR will host a Twitter chat on “HR and Social Media Risks.” @ThompsonHR will be joined by two employment law experts: Eric B. Meyer of Dilworth Paxson LLP (@Eric_B_Meyer) and Donna M. Ballman of Donna M. Ballman, P.A. (@EmployeeAtty). They will weigh in on the social media risks and rewards from both an employer and employee perspective.
Questions to be addressed by Meyer and Ballman include:
- What are the biggest risks for employers/employees in using social media?
- Should employers review applicants’ social media profiles?
- When is it appropriate for employers to check applicants’ social media?
- Should applicants be told if something on social media is negatively affecting their candidacy?
- How can social media benefit employee/employer relations?
- Should you friend employees or only review public information?
- What social media policy and training is needed for employers? Employees?
- If an employee on leave is caught on social media “in a lie” about a health condition is it grounds for termination?
- Is there a proper way to use social media to investigate an employee suspected of FMLA abuse?
- Where is the line drawn for employers worried about employees’ social media activities?
- What can/can’t go in a social media policy?
How to Participate
Participation in the chat is easy — just follow along using the #hrintelchat hashtag. The questions will be tweeted out and the expert panel will be given time to respond. Attendees can ask additional or follow up questions, or offer their own take on a particular topic by using the hashtag #hrintelchat. In responding to a specific question, attendees should note that they are answering that question (i.e., Q1) with the number in their tweet (i.e., A1) along with the #hrintelchat hashtag. The chat will run from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. EST.
For additional information about the speakers, check out the event description here.
Future Chats
This chat kicks off a regularly occuring #hrintelchat that will feature a rotating roster of hot human resources topics. Watch this space for future topics and chat dates. Also, ideas for topics can be tweeted to @ThompsonHR.