There's no doubt about it – Facebook is the
21st Century water cooler. Workers who used to gather in
the break room to talk about the latest sports news, the newest
outrageous celebrity scandal, or the latest office gossip are now
sharing this communication online. In some cases that's none of
your business as an employer. But what if the ranting is
about you? Or your workplace?
Such statements are out there in cyberspace for everyone to see
for as long as they remain posted. A recent Oregon case highlights
a typical scenario employers are now having to grapple with on a
daily basis, and provides a good lesson for employers.
I Can't Take It Any More
Jennifer Shepard was a child-protective-services caseworker for
Oregon's Department of Human Services (DHS). As you can imagine
from her job title, Ms. Shepard was exposed to many unfortunate and
downright depressing situations as part of her work, and after
years in the job, she found herself jaded and frustrated
