You must assume that whenever you post something on one of your social media channels, it is easily accessible for the world to see. This is regardless of whether you set your accounts to a private setting; one of your followers can easily screenshot your posts and pass them around. After all, it may be frustrating to lose your steady, secure employment over something frivulous you shared online. With that being said, please continue reading to learn whether you can get fired after posting something on social media and how an experienced Gloucester County New Jersey wrongful termination lawyer at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. can help you avoid this unfortunate outcome.
Can I get fired after posting something on social media?
Long story short, there are currently no federal or state employment laws that specifically protect you from being fired over your social media practices. This is on top of the fact that New Jersey is an at-will employment state. Meaning, your employer can terminate your employment at any time, for any reason, or no reason at all, so long as it is not for an illegal reason. This is to say that your employer may be well within their right to release you from your job duties if they do not necessarily appreciate something you posted on one of your online platforms. More specifically, posts that make getting fired all the more likely include the following:
- Posts that might jeopardize your company’s reputation (i.e., you criticize the quality of one of your company’s featured products or services).
- Posts that might violate your company’s policies (i.e., you share your company’s trade secrets or your client’s sensitive, personal information).
- Posts that might create a hostile environment within your company (i.e., you say something discriminatory in nature about one of your coworkers).
What social media tips should I follow while employed?
There may not be an explicit social media policy disclosed in the employment agreement you signed off on when you started your job. Even so, it is in your best interest to remain mindful of how you exactly use your online platforms. As a general rule of thumb, it is better not to post anything that could be perceived as related to your job, your company, your employer, your colleagues, or the industry you work in entirely. If you feel inclined to do so, you should stick to respectable and positive posts. For example, there may be nothing wrong with showcasing your job promotion or any other achievement, accomplishment, or award you received related to your work.
To take it one step forward, it may be strategic to separate your personal and professional social media profiles. That is, you may want to keep work-related content exclusively on your LinkedIn page. Again, this is not to say, though, that you have free rein to post whatever you want on your personal accounts. This matter may obviously be important to you, and you may want the best possible outcome. So please, do not fight this without one of the skilled New Jersey employment lawyers in your corner. The team at The Vigilante Law Firm, P.C. is here at your command.
