Is there any rule against an employer using your facebook status against you?

[lil_mamaof2]

My boyfriend has been cited twice for facebook statuses that he's put up. This last one was about how he was frustrated with his job after they'd had a meeting with him. His profile is set to a private setting so that only friends may see it. According to the employer and fellow employees it is an employee who has given this information to them. Are they allowed to use it to give him a written warning? Or even to fire him?

[RyGuy]

Yes
It's their company
They get to hire and fire whoever they choose

[broadsheet598]

None at all

Facebook is the equivalent of being a jackass in public. If he'd been at a bar spouting out all this stuff and it got back to his boss, he'd at least have a chance of denying it happened.

Sadly, there isn't a protected right to carp about your boss.

[goodluckwithhat]

Is your boyfriend foolish enough to write nasty things about his job for the world, including his job, to see? He doesn't sound too bright. It's like complaining about his boss to the company gossip and then being surprised that it gets back to the boss and being angry that the boss is mad. They have the right to look at his Facebook page and entries and to respond to them. If he doesn't want them to know, he shouldn't be posting the information. Apparently, whoever that "employee" is who is ratting out your boyfriend, isn't a "friend" of his though haven't we all at one time or another trusted somebody we shouldn't have? Tell your boyfriend that if he needs to vent about his job, he should tell you and keep it off the internet.

[David]

Yes. And Yes again. Their company. Their policies. Your boyfriend's contract will specify how much notice he is required to have before he is booted onto the curb.

Your boyfriend (and you, and everyone!!) should expect that anything put up on the internet WILL get into the wrong hands.

[Jo]

No rules for employer.
Facebook is open to the public.
That's why there are heaps of warnings to be very careful what you post on it.
Those warnings cite those exact reasons.

[wizjp]

uh....if he was dumb enough to publish a criticism of his job where it could be read, he can certainly expect discipline over it.

What possesses people to exhibit themselves so badly on line? What was the point?

[Mutt]

Nope, no law against it.

This is a very good example of why you need to be very careful about what you post online. There is nothing private about these sites. Once you post, it's public information that others can share with whoever they want. Even if is only available to his "Friends" there is nothing to prevent them from sharing it with others.