Can You Be Fired For What You Post On Social Media?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Private companies and employers can discipline or fire an employee for what they post on social media. … In general,

employers cannot fire you for posting

: Truthful statements about working conditions, like harassment or unsafe working conditions. Comments that indicate your interest in joining or supporting a union.

Do employers look at social media before hiring?


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 a job not hire you because of social media?

The short answer is

yes

. It is completely legal for employers to check employees' social media profiles. Some states even allow employers to solicit social media usernames and passwords from their workers. In general, state and federal laws dictate what employers can and cannot ask for.

Do companies check your social media?

The short answer is yes.

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

. Some states even allow employers to solicit social media usernames and passwords from their workers. In general, state and federal privacy laws dictate what employers can and cannot ask for.

Can employees be disciplined for social media posts?


Employees can be subject to disciplinary action for posting content unfavorable to their employer

. … If an employee is engaging in concerted activity on social media, that activity falls under the protections of the NLRA.

Why shouldn't employers look at 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.

Is social media background check legal?

Is social media screening legal? The short answer:

Yes

, BUT it has to be done correctly. If you're tasked with making hiring decisions and you decide to look at an applicant's social media activity on your own, you're opening yourself up to potential problems (such as discrimination lawsuits).

Why employers look at 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 employers control employees social media?

According to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB),

employers' attempts to control or limit what employees post on social media websites

and their personal accounts often violate the employees' rights to engage in “protected activity” under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).

Can an employer fire you for having an only fans?

Here's what I know from decades of HR experience:

In an At-Will state, you can be fired for any reason, including having an OnlyFans account

. However, most employers would not actively search for such accounts, if they are aware of it in the first place.

What can employees post about their employers in social media and on the Internet?

Employers can tell employees that their personal social media accounts,

online networking accounts, blogs, and other online communications may be reviewed

, and that any inappropriate or offensive content could subject them to discipline up to and including termination.

How does social media affect getting a job?

From a job seekers standpoint, social media has made the task of

finding a job much easier

. It helps to streamline the job search process by allowing people to search jobs across hundreds of sites to find opportunities that meet their specific abilities.

What companies look for in employees?

  • Communication skills. Employers understand the value of effective communication and actively look for this skill in potential employees. …
  • Honesty. Honesty is a key quality that employers want in their staff. …
  • Loyalty. …
  • Dependability. …
  • Teamwork. …
  • Flexibility. …
  • Self-reliance. …
  • Eagerness to learn.

What are some red flags that employers look for on people's social media accounts?

  • Posting Inappropriate Material. …
  • Ranting. …
  • Lacking Distinction Between Your Personal and Professional Lives. …
  • Poor Spelling and Grammar. …
  • Lying about Qualifications. …
  • Absence of a Social Media Presence. …
  • Posting Derogatory Comments. …
  • Plagiarizing.

How do I fail a social media background check?

  1. Provocative Pics. Inappropriate pictures are something that an employer can look at in a few different ways. …
  2. Party like a Rockstar. …
  3. Bad Mouthing an Employer. …
  4. Unlawful Activity. …
  5. Violent Activity/Remarks. …
  6. Two Faced Tony. …
  7. Being Absent.

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 , 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.

Charlene Dyck
Author
Charlene Dyck
Charlene is a software developer and technology expert with a degree in computer science. She has worked for major tech companies and has a keen understanding of how computers and electronics work. Sarah is also an advocate for digital privacy and security.