Why Employers Should Not Check Social Media?

When done improperly, a social media background check can

put your organization

at risk for lawsuits. … An employer researching a candidate on social media could easily learn that their candidate has one or more of these protected characteristics. This knowledge could cause a biased hiring decision.

Should employers monitor their employee's social media usage?

Currently,

there are no federal laws that prohibit an employer from monitoring employees

on social networking sites. You can install software on company computers that does this, or hire third-party companies to monitor online activity.

Why employers should not monitor social media?

Lose the disclaimers, drivel and drama. Social media monitoring

doesn't protect your company

. The concerns were employees might reveal private information or trade secrets, and there might be something said that could damage the company's reputation. …

Why social media monitoring is bad?

Even if a company itself is neutral, the subjective feelings of the person tasked with monitoring employees' social media could

easily lead to discrimination

, especially in the highly polarized environment of the U.S. People should be able to share their views on gay marriage, for example, with their friends on social …

Why do employers check social media?

Social media is used by potential employers to check job applicants' qualifications,

assess their professionalism and trustworthiness

, reveal negative attributes, determine whether they post any problematic content and even assess “fit.”

Can companies check your social media?

The short answer is yes.

It is completely legal for employers to check employees' social media profiles

. … In general, state and federal privacy laws dictate what employers can and cannot ask for. It's essential to note that potential bosses aren't the only people who can get your information online.

Do employers have the right to spy on employees?

Under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA),

it is illegal for an employer to monitor or conduct any surveillance of employee union activities

, including off-the-job meetings or gatherings.

Why employers should not monitor employees?

While

the risk of a lawsuit

is a big reason why a company may not want to monitor their employees and even bigger concern is the impact it will have on the workforce. … If you establish an environment where the boss doesn't trust his or her employees, it can easily create an 8-to-5 mentality with the workforce, she says.

Can an employee be fired for something they posted on Facebook?

In short,

yes

, you can be fired for what you post on social media like Facebook or any other site.

Can employers use social media against employees?

Federal laws prohibit employers from discriminating against

a prospective or current employee based on information on the employee's social media relating to their race, color, national origin, gender, age, disability, and immigration or citizen status.

Is it ethically permissible for companies to discipline employees for their social media posts?

Ultimately,

employees are free to use their social media

platforms to post as they please, but that does not mean they are free from disciplinary action by their employer. Similarly, employers cannot discipline or terminate an employee engaged in protected activity.

What percent of employers check social media?

The CareerBuilder study found that

58%

of employers conduct social screenings to look for information supporting a candidate's qualifications for the job – 50% want to ensure the candidate has a professional online persona, and 34% want to see what other people are posting about the candidate.

Do future employers check social media?

90% of Employers Consider an Applicant's Social Media Activity

During Hiring Process. If you want to hire top talents for your small business, you should look beyond the resumes of the potential candidates. According to a new survey, 90% of employers find social media important when they evaluate candidates.

Can employers check your Google searches?

One of the questions that people often ask concerning background checks is whether an employer can check their browsing history. … The short answer to the question is – no. A prospective employer cannot check your private internet history. They can, however,

check your public internet history

.

How do I fail a social media background check?

1. Being Too Self-Absorbed. The selfie. …
2. Partying like a Rock Star. Shot, shots, shots… …
3. Engaging in Illegal Activity. …
4. Letting Your Accounts Get Stale. …
5. Being Absent on Social. …
6. Being Two-Faced. …
7. Airing Your Dirty Laundry. …
8. Failing to Spellcheck.

What shows up on a social media background check?

What is a social media background check? A social media background check is similar to other types of background checks, like criminal checks. It

looks at a person's past behavior

since a person's past can be indicative of a person's future behavior.