Social Media and Privacy Challenges in the Global Workplace: Are We Crossing the Privacy Line?
By Greg Komarow, SPHR, GPHR, HRMP Social media is impacting employees across the globe. How do we stay ahead of these ever-evolving platforms?
Tag: Social Media
New Louisiana law prohibits employers from seeking social media passwords
by Josh Wood and H. Mark Adams Louisiana’s new Personal Online Account Privacy Protection Act (House Bill 340) goes into effect August 1. It precludes employers from requesting or requiring employees and job applicants to disclose any username or password that allows access to their personal online accounts. The law prohibits employers from discharging or […]
Don’t Back-Burner Employee Communications
Ask employees what they like least about their jobs, and they typically cite a problem with communication. In fact, in many national employee attitude surveys, participating organizations across the board were rated lowest on questions related to communication. This is particularly unfortunate given that employees who took the survey said communication was very important to […]
NLRB rejects common handbook policies barring ‘negativity’
by Brian R. Garrison The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has been focusing its attention on policies in nonunion companies’ employee handbooks, finding certain policies violate the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) by restricting employees’ ability to engage in protected concerted activity. Continuing that trend, the NLRB recently found that work rules barring employees from […]
The Trouble with ‘Twibel’: A New Social Media Headache for Employers
You may feel like a twit when it comes to your understanding of Twitter, but it is time to add the word “Twibel” to your company’s vocabulary — and more importantly, to your overall social media strategy, says Porter Wright employment law attorney Sara Jodka. Libel occurs when someone prints a false and malicious statement […]
Oklahoma joins states limiting social media access in hiring
by Philip Bruce Oklahoma has joined the ranks of states that limit employers’ ability to require access to applicants’ and employees’ social media accounts. Governor Mary Fallin signed the law on May 21, and it will go into effect on November 1, 2014. The law prohibits almost all employers from requiring employees or prospective employees […]
Friending, Unfriending, and Linking In on Social Media
Casual References Casual references on LinkedIn or other professional social media sites pose legal risks: Defamation (if they are negative and untrue). Misrepresentation (if they are positive and untrue). Evidence of pretext in an EEO claim (if you terminate for poor performance but you’ve written a glowing recommendation on LinkedIn). Segal’s recommendation: Make clear to […]
Casual References and Endorsements on Social Media
Yesterday’s Advisor featured tips on social media policies from Attorney Jonathan Segal. Today, his tips on casual references and endorsements and friending and unfriending work colleagues. Casual References Casual references on LinkedIn or other professional social media sites pose legal risks: Defamation (if they are negative and untrue). Misrepresentation (if they are positive and […]
Governor Walker friends Facebook users, bars employers from trolling employees’ accounts
by Saul C. Glazer The question of whether employers can require applicants or current employees to divulge social media passwords has been hotly debated both from a legal and a moral standpoint. On April 8, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker signed a bill protecting nonpublic social media accounts. This bill, which takes effect April 10, prohibits […]
Surveillance and Secrets—Managing Social Media Risks
[Go here for S’s 1 and 2] S #3. Surveillance or “Snooping” What’s the Risk? When you monitor employee’s social media activity, you run two risks, says Yip: Damage to morale. The company may call it surveillance, but the employees will view it as snooping, and they won’t like it. The vast majority of employees […]