Fired over Facebook Post – Labor Board Intervenes

The National Labor Relations Board has stepped in to defend a worker terminated over disparaging remarks she posted on Facebook about her supervisor.

The NLRB asserts that employer American Medical Response’s firing decision — as well as its policies prohibiting employees from writing about the company on social media sites — violate worker free speech rights, including freedoms to publicly discuss workplace conditions.

The Connecticut company has defended its actions: “The employee was fired because of multiple, serious complaints about her behavior.  The employee was also held accountable for negative personal attacks against a co-worker posted publicly on Facebook.  The company believes that the offensive statements made against the co-workers were not concerted activity protected under federal law.”

The NLRB’s complaint is scheduled to be heard by an administrative law judge in January, 2011.

For more, see Company Accused of Firing Over Facebook Post [NY Times]