It wasn’t too long ago that some arbitrary blogger was fired for comments she posted in her blog. A metafilter discussion was started and it seemed like all sorts of people were outraged. Now, I’m late to this party, but I still have something to say about it.
I don’t really want to discuss the details of any specific story, because I think this is a pretty general thing that could happen to any number of people. What it comes right down to is that it’s not only legal, but also appropriate for you to be fired if you post nasty things about your coworkers in your blog. Why? Read on.
For starters, someone who thought it was a good idea to say bad things about the folks that hired him/her really isn’t all that bright. I really don’t think someone should put something in their blog that they wouldn’t tell someone, at the very least, in a letter and probably to their face. Posting to a public website, any website, is very different from writing in a diary… unless the New York Times is your diary. Anyone can find it, anyone can read it, and anyone can take action based on it.
Heather (the arbitrary blogger mentioned above) posted some questions related to her incident, but I’m going to restate them, and answer them in more general terms.
1. Should I lose my job over what I have written on my personal website, especially if I have made sure not to mention specific places, persons, or events by name? If those things have or could have an adverse affect on the company or your work relationships with others, absolutely. In fact, if that’s true, you SHOULD be fired. Just because something isn’t expressly said doesn’t mean that someone can’t figure it out. Especially if you’re using your real name. Google is a powerful thing, and I know lots of people who search the ‘net for their friends/acquaintances names when they’re bored. If your boss is sitting and home and runs across your blog, only to find himself called a pompous fatass, of course you’re going to get fired.
2. At what point does my personal website, regardless of what I’ve published on the site, affect my professional life? This happens the minute anyone you work with or for finds it and identifies it as yours. I think this group of people includes shareholders, stakeholders, customers, clients, etc…
3. If I am not responsible for the two colliding (meaning, an anonymous person tips off my employer that I run a personal weblog), is it right that my employer should condemn me for expressing personal dissatisfaction? There are appropriate and inappropriate ways to express dissatisfaction. Would you post a note on a bulletin board at work calling one of your coworkers a dumbass? No. Then why do it on the ‘net?
4. Would it be any different if someone found a notepad on which I had scribbled things about my job and turned it in to my boss? The outcome would probably be the same, the only difference would be that the person finding that notepad could certainly be called nosey or a busy-body… if that person happens upon your website, well, that’s why you have a website, right? So people will read it? Thought so.
One common misconception about “freedom of speech” is that you should be allowed to say whatever you please with no repercussions. That’s certainly not the case. If I said to my girlfriend: (ok, let’s assume I have one first) “You’re an evil bitch” should there be consequences? But what about freedom of speech?
You have the right to say whatever you please, but other people have the right to respond accordingly. Whether that’s by never speaking to you again, firing you, or revering you as a god, that’s everyone else’s right.
I also should add that I think an employer should be able to hire, not hire, or fire for whatever reasons they deem appropriate. Why not? It’s to that company’s disservice if they hire unqualified people or fire people that are valuable to them. But that’s another debate entirely.
\”you should be allowed to say whatever you please with no repercussions\”
I seem to recall Justice Holmes saying something about that:
http://www.bartleby.com/66/39/28739.html
Is html enabled in this here comment box?
It most certainly is, however, to quote kd: \”HTML is allowed. I trust your judgement. Don\’t disappoint me.\”
Hehe…
My workplace reprimanded me once in the past simply for listing them as my employer on a biography website. Since then I\’ve beensure that whatever I blog in a work-related sense has been bandied about between at least two other co-workers before hitting the screen. That way, if I get the shaft, I take them with me.
Wow… yeah… my current employer is pretty picky about stuff like that. They have far too many employees to really watch them, but sometimes vendors will list other companies that use their products and the company will not sign contracts until the vendor agrees not to mention them by name.
Uh-oh. I have several posts about my officemate. However, (1) I don\’t mention her name, (2) I don\’t mention the company, and (3) she\’s blind as a bat, and probably couldn\’t read it if she wanted to.
(Note: she\’s not actually blind blind, I was just making a funny since her nose is always against her monitor.)
But just in case, I\’ll now set them as drafts.
Hehe… now, I\’ll be the first one to admit that I\’d talk shit about people here regardless, but I think the key is to realizing there\’s a risk and being willing to take it, or not.
BTW, Thanks for the link, Sergio.
I\’ve been laid off once, averted lay offs a second time, no need to risk getting fired. Getting fired doesn\’t include a severence package.
don\’t you think that, hiring/firing should be based more on your skills rather than your personal relationship? like i mean.. if you don\’t like your boss.. then tough.. you either suck it up or quit. and if your boss doesn\’t like you then you have a hard time, you have the same two options… but i mean.. just because you think he\’s a \”pompous fat ass\” is not a handy reason to fire someone. i mean… this is aside from the whole public blogging argument.. and duh.. you have to be careful about what you say on the internet cuz everyone and their mother reads your stuff. i mean.. i don\’t really know the whole story, but i don\’t think and employer should be able to hire/fire people for WHATEVER reason.. that\’s not right man.
Personal relationships in the office can really hurt productivity. Productivity is why you\’re there. If someone else could be significantly more productive (for whatever reason) they should have the job.
As for hiring/firing being based on skill sets, that\’s all well and good, but skill sets are subjective. Who\’s to say that what one employer considers a positive attribute really isn\’t one?
productivity is still definitely a skill. and you\’re right.. shit like that is totally subjective. but finding out that you\’ve been called a pompous fat-ass isn\’t a reason to fire someone.. not like i\’m not saying it doesn\’t happen in the real world.. but hiring and firing for whatever reasons they deem appropriate isn\’t always so cool, because they could totally be corrupt and employees get totally screwed over. do you get what I mean? or do you think that \”i\’m missing the point.\” haha.. or maybe i\’m just bitter cuz it happened to me. hah.
Oooh!! Does Pete tell you that you\’re \”missing the point\” all the time, too?? I get that a lot…
Yay, now I know I\’m not the only one! *giggle* Pete is pointy.
I think you\’re probably just bitter. I don\’t think anyone on earth has a \”right\” to a job. Of course, that\’s just my take on it, but nothing about the work-world strikes me as a \”certain inalienable right.\” That said, I don\’t think it\’s good for employers to fire folks for whatever they want, but if you\’re a good productive worker then that employer is hurting themselves, and employers that make a practice of that will (at least in theory) not be as competitive as those that keep the best employees.
As far as personally insulting your boss, I think it\’s a respect issue. \”Lack of Respect for Authority\” is a valid reason, IMO, to fire someone. (Mind you, \”a valid reason\” is different from \”just any old reason\” that I think an employer should be able to fire you)