News & Analysis as of September 18, 2024

Employer Liability Issues

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The phrase "Protected Concerted Activity" refers to certain protected activities specified in the National Labor Relations Act of 1935. Under the NLRA, covered employees may join together to improve their wages and working conditions. If employees are engaged in "protected concerted activity" and suffer adverse employment consequences, such employees may seek redress under the NLRA, whether or not they are members of a union. less -

Look Out for LinkedIn: Top Questions for Employers on How the Platform Impacts Your Workplace

Fisher Phillips on 5/31/2024

LinkedIn has become a key part of the business world for workers and employers alike. The platform can aid your recruitment efforts, company branding, and business development. But the world’s largest professional networking...more

EntertainHR: Michigan’s Miscue—Is Your Company Ready for a Social Media Scandal?

FordHarrison on 6/7/2023

Only a few days after being hired by the University of Michigan’s football program as the assistant director of football recruiting, Glenn Schembechler (son of longtime Michigan head coach Bo Schembechler) resigned after his...more

NLRB Provides Employees Extra Leeway to Use Offensive Language

Husch Blackwell LLP on 5/5/2023

On May 1, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) issued its decision in Lion Elastomers and United Steelworkers, making it more difficult for employers to discipline employees for outbursts and similar misconduct...more

Employer Response Tips From Firing Suit Over Birdwatcher

Bradley Arant Boult Cummings LLP on 10/14/2022

No employer wants to make decisions based on an employee's social media activity. Everyone tells employees to keep their private life private and don't let it affect the job — right? Originally published by Law360 -...more

The End of an Era? NLRB Holds Lawful Employer’s Rules Restricting Employee Communications on Social Media, But This Pro-Employer...

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on 1/13/2021

Seyfarth Synopsis: Last week, the NLRB held in a 2-1 decision that an employer’s rules restricting certain types of employee communications on social media were lawful under the NLRA. However, the Board panel was sharply...more

Threatening Employees on Social Media is No LOL Matter

Jaburg Wilk on 6/25/2020

Sometimes jokes fall flat. Sometimes they can get employers in trouble with the National Labor Relations Board (the “NLRB”). A recent case is a cautionary tale. What Happened? In responding to a story about workers for...more

Employment Law Now IV-65- The Great Debate Part 2: Employee Lawyer vs. Employer Lawyer

Cozen O'Connor on 4/17/2020

This is Part 2 of Mike Schmidt's 2-part episode pitting employee/plaintiff-side lawyer Hope Pordy, Esq. against employer/defendant-side lawyer Jeremy Glenn, Esq. to finish debating some interesting HR topics....more

Live-Streaming Coaches: A Lesson on Workplace Recordings

FordHarrison on 11/14/2019

What on earth are these players thinking? We now have our third noteworthy example from the last few years of a player live-streaming his coach’s postgame victory speech on a social media platform....more

How the Misconception of ‘Free Speech’ in the Workplace Persists through High-Profile Examples of Social Consciousness

FordHarrison on 10/30/2019

With the NBA season set to begin this month, so many eagerly anticipated storylines are being discussed. Would the Clippers and Lakers live up to expectations and make Los Angeles the place to be this season? How are teams...more

Can Employers get a Grip on Griping? Not all Gripes are Created Equal…

Cohen & Gresser LLP on 9/25/2019

Negative employee attitudes, chronic complaining, insubordination and gossiping are bad for the workplace. They can impact employee morale and productivity, and if spread outside of the organization, reflect very poorly on...more

Nashville Trump Supporter Fired Over Facebook Post Wins Trial

Butler Snow LLP on 8/27/2019

Government employees enjoy more protection than employees of private-sector companies when it comes to speaking their minds about politics or other matters of public concern outside the workplace. A public employee may not be...more

Facebooking Misappropriated Employer Form Is Not Protected Activity

Sherman & Howard L.L.C. on 7/18/2018

On June 11, 2018, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) Division of Advice applied the Board’s new Boeing standard for assessing employer policies. The Division advised that an employer did not violate the NLRA when it...more

Can You Fire Someone For Racist Tweets?

Zuckerman Spaeder LLP on 6/5/2018

On May 29, Roseanne Barr posted a tweet comparing former Obama adviser Valerie Jarrett to an ape. ABC’s reaction was swift and decisive: it fired Barr and cancelled her show. ABC’s decision led to pontification from...more

Employee Social Media and Employee Discipline – Caution

Ruder Ware on 2/21/2018

A number of companies have adopted social media policies that address the types of things employees can post on social media even if it is the employee’s private social media page. While companies have the right to protect...more

Social Media in the Workplace: More Changes Ahead?

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC on 12/12/2017

In days past employees discussed and debated workplace issues around the water cooler. That sentimental past-time has long since been replaced by online social media networking and the reach of social media is stunning....more

Termination For Social Media Activity May Result In Unemployment Compensation Benefits

Troutman Pepper on 12/4/2017

Q. Our Company just terminated an employee for a social media post that was in violation of our social media policy. Will she be entitled to unemployment compensation benefits? ...more

Employee’s Facebook Post Crossed the Line

Saul Ewing LLP on 8/15/2017

Last week, the Third Circuit denied a Pennsylvania-plaintiff’s application to have her retaliation claim against her former employer reinstated. The plaintiff, Mindy Caplan, a former district manager for the retail chain...more

Q And A On The Recent Controversy

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP on 8/11/2017

On the recent uproar involving a major, major employer and its recently-terminated employee: No. 1. Is it a good idea to provide an “open forum” to employees if there are certain topics that are off limits? No. If you want...more

Employer Cannot Fire Employees For Obscenity-Laced Facebook Posts During Union Organizing Campaign

Tonkon Torp LLP on 5/16/2017

Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects employees who engage in concerted activities for purposes of collective bargaining or for mutual aid and protection. How far that protection extends was tested in NLRB v....more

Oh F**k: Employee’s Profane Facebook Post is Protected Activity

Orrick - Employment Law and Litigation on 5/5/2017

On April 21, 2017, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) ruling that an employer violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or Act) when it discharged a catering...more

Second Circuit Holds Termination of Employee Who Attacked Supervisor in Obscene Facebook Post Violates NLRA

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints on 4/26/2017

The Second Circuit said last week that an employer violated the National Labor Relations Act when it fired an employee who criticized a supervisor on Facebook during an election. The catch here is that the Second Circuit...more

Where’s the “Dislike” Button? 2nd Circuit Affirms Employee-Friendly Social Media Ruling

Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP on 11/6/2015

In my last post on HR legalist, I outlined the current state of the law regarding employee social media use. One trend I have been following is the National Labor Relations Board’s expansion of protections for employees who...more

Discipline Based on Social Media Activity – An Update

Zelle LLP on 11/6/2015

Social media is no longer trendy. It’s commonplace, and so is discipline imposed because an employee posts something inappropriate. According to a Proskauer survey, 70 percent of employers report taking disciplinary action...more

Second Circuit Affirms NLRB View That Facebook "Likes" Are Protected Concerted Activity

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 11/2/2015

Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals backed the National Labor Relations Board’s position that employee social media postings are protected concerted activity under federal law, even if they use obscenities that...more

Facebook “Like” Protected Speech Under the NLRA

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP on 10/29/2015

We all have them. Friends and family who overshare on Facebook. Their food choices (complete with pictures), exercise routine, and relationship drama, all solidified in the form of a status update. Annoying maybe, but mostly...more

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