I know all that freedom of speech stuff is about the government not being able to shut you up, but...
I'm sitting here, reading the comments, and everyone agrees that corporations have and SHOULD have the power to make people shut up about Harmful Things. Seriously, guys? Is this the 21st century we want?
People above me have said plenty about why the title of this post is complete click bait and why it's completely misleading if not straight wrong.
To this comment specifically: Corporate Communication Policies are for (maybe more but) 2 very important purposes: 1) (NOT relevant to this article) Keeping company secret information secret: You, as an employee, have access to information that is not public and the company has a right to make policies keeping it that way. Your access to that information is a privilege not a right and so they give it to you with limitations clearly expressed as terms of your employment. 2) (Pertinent to this article) Limiting Liability: This point is spelled out in TFS even: "...while identified as an employee" You as an individual can generally go around speaking your mind as much as you want so long as you're not violating #1 and are clearly speaking as yourself. BUT when "identified as an employee" you are speaking as a Representative Of The Company and so what you say falls under the jurisdiction of that companies policy for how they want to communicate to the world.
Badmouth your employer all you want but do it on your own time and on your own pedestal not theirs. That doesn't mean they won't try to go after you for it BUT at least you have a better legal footing for the wrongful termination suit. A friend of mine was canned for a rant he made on his personal Facebook page that impacted the reputation of his employer. He isn't getting his job back (doesn't really want it after this) but is doing quite well with his lawsuit. These people screwed themselves the minute they named their organization "Amazon Employees for Climate Justice"
PS. I live in an At-Will state meaning your employer can fire you for anything they want so long as it doesn't violate federal discrimination or whistle-blower laws SO the only bearing any of this would matter here is whether they have "cause" to not pay you unemployment which frankly is an uphill battle in this state no matter what you were fired for unless you shoot up the workplace or provably rob the place.
I don't want to pay someone that trashes my business or doesn't agree with my business practices. You are telling me that I should be forced to? Is that the 21st century that you want?
Businesses don't have the power to make people shut up. They have the power to remove bad apples. These people can keep talking all they want, just as long as they find a different employer.
Freedom of Speech DOES NOT EQUAL freedom from consequences. They have no power to make them shut up, but they do have the power to determine if they can continue to work there. regardless this is nothing to do with freedom of speech, it is pure contract laws which are quite normal and reasonable, why should any business be forced to keep paying someone that is actively hurting their business.
IF I HAD A MINE SHAFT, I don't think I would just abandon it. There's
got to be a better way.
-- Jack Handley, The New Mexican, 1988.
Freedom of Speech (Score:3)
I know all that freedom of speech stuff is about the government not being able to shut you up, but ...
I'm sitting here, reading the comments, and everyone agrees that corporations have and SHOULD have the power to make people shut up about Harmful Things. Seriously, guys? Is this the 21st century we want?
Re:Freedom of Speech (Score:4, Informative)
Not the point.
People above me have said plenty about why the title of this post is complete click bait and why it's completely misleading if not straight wrong.
To this comment specifically: Corporate Communication Policies are for (maybe more but) 2 very important purposes:
1) (NOT relevant to this article) Keeping company secret information secret: You, as an employee, have access to information that is not public and the company has a right to make policies keeping it that way. Your access to that information is a privilege not a right and so they give it to you with limitations clearly expressed as terms of your employment.
2) (Pertinent to this article) Limiting Liability: This point is spelled out in TFS even: "...while identified as an employee" You as an individual can generally go around speaking your mind as much as you want so long as you're not violating #1 and are clearly speaking as yourself. BUT when "identified as an employee" you are speaking as a Representative Of The Company and so what you say falls under the jurisdiction of that companies policy for how they want to communicate to the world.
Badmouth your employer all you want but do it on your own time and on your own pedestal not theirs. That doesn't mean they won't try to go after you for it BUT at least you have a better legal footing for the wrongful termination suit. A friend of mine was canned for a rant he made on his personal Facebook page that impacted the reputation of his employer. He isn't getting his job back (doesn't really want it after this) but is doing quite well with his lawsuit. These people screwed themselves the minute they named their organization "Amazon Employees for Climate Justice"
PS. I live in an At-Will state meaning your employer can fire you for anything they want so long as it doesn't violate federal discrimination or whistle-blower laws SO the only bearing any of this would matter here is whether they have "cause" to not pay you unemployment which frankly is an uphill battle in this state no matter what you were fired for unless you shoot up the workplace or provably rob the place.
Re: (Score:1)
I don't want to pay someone that trashes my business or doesn't agree with my business practices. You are telling me that I should be forced to? Is that the 21st century that you want?
Businesses don't have the power to make people shut up. They have the power to remove bad apples. These people can keep talking all they want, just as long as they find a different employer.
Re: (Score:0)