When can an employee’s online activity justify dismissal?
Translated from Polish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.
At a glance
Explainer
Sources not specified
Context piece
- Employees may remain associated with their employers when they post controversial material outside working hours.
- Employers may be identifiable through LinkedIn profiles, company clothing, workplace settings or details that reveal clients and colleagues.
- The mere fact that an online publication is controversial does not by itself constitute a breach of employment duties.
“It’s my private profile.” That is a common defense when HR receives a controversial post, recording or comment published by an employee. But the boundary between private and professional life does not always match the boundary between working hours and free time.
An employee can still be associated with a company when posting on social media after work. The connection may be explicit, such as when the person identifies the employer on LinkedIn. It may also be visible through company clothing, a recording made in the office or a story containing enough detail to identify clients, colleagues or the workplace.
Still, the controversial nature of an online publication alone does not amount to a violation of an employee’s duties.
About this summary
Originally published by Rzeczpospolita in Polish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.
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