Is work getting you down? Maybe your boss was a major pain today or the computer chairs are flat-out uncomfortable. Everyone complains from time to time, after all, we’re only human. However, heed these words of caution: stay away from the computer.
Introducing the newest addition to the ever-growing list of ways Facebook can get you fired: griping.
Up until now, employers weren’t allowed to discipline employees for ranting about their workplace online. That’s no longer the case. In a recent turn of events, the National Labor Relations Board announced that, while “concerted activity” is still protected, “mere griping” is not.
Okay, so if you want to be safe, then all you have to do is engage in concerted activity. How does one engage in “concerted activity”? According to Eric B. Meyer of The Employer Handbook, examples include:
- Two or more employees addressing their employer about improving their working conditions and pay.
- An employee speaking to his or her employer on behalf of him or herself and one or more workers about improving workplace conditions.
- Two or more employees discussing pay or other work-related issues with each other.
- Refusing to do any or all of these things.
What does this mean? Complaining via status, tweet, or note is a bad idea. While the savvy job seeker knows to modify their privacy settings and friend the right people, they should also keep in mind the fact that the Internet is not a steel trap. Things get out and they can be dangerous.
Bottom line: save the complaints for face-to-face appointments.
Have a story about someone getting fired for complaining about their job online? What happened?
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