Facebook And Suicidal Thoughts

A federal court in Seattle, Washington issued a decision last week in Rebecca Peer v. F5 Networks, Inc. that offers an interesting example of the impact that social media can have on the employer-employee interactive process in the disability arena.

F5 Networks is a multinational networking appliances company that employed Peer since early 2010 as a Technical Support Coordinator.  Shortly after she started, Peer began experiencing chronic pain and depression, for which she asked (and received) a work accommodation that included a reduced work schedule.  On July 1, 2010, Peer was medically cleared to return to a 40-hour workweek.  However, later that month, she sent a message to her manager on Facebook that stated in part: