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Your Boss Is Watching Your Social Media – And He Can Sack You For It

Your boss is watching your social media – and he can sack you for it

Your boss is watching your social media and he can sack you for it, according to experts.

Many workers mistakenly believe that what they do online in their own time is their own business.

However, as more and more workers are finding out, one inappropriate post can cost you your job.

Your boss is watching your social media – no matter which platform

Since the explosion of social media sites, the line between work time and personal time has been blurred.

Many employers now have social media policies in place to control what employees publish on social media.

As a result, even if you’re on your own time, and posting material that isn’t directly related to your work, you can still be fired for it.

Case studies

Hotel manager Michael Nolan lost his job after calling feminist commentator Clementine Ford ‘a sl-t’ on Facebook.

Ford shared a screen shot of their interaction with her 80,000 Facebook followers and tagged Nolan’s employer.

Read more about the case here

Then there is wharfie Luke Colwell, who lost his job at Hutchison Ports Sydney for sending a pornographic video to a number of his co-workers on Facebook.

Colwell sent the video after a big night of drinking at the pub, and despite none of his female colleagues making a formal complaint, the company still sacked him.

He subsequently lost an unfair dismissal claim in the Fair Work Commission.

Read more about the case here

Adelaide aged care worker Daniel Smyth lost his job when his employer checked his Facebook page to find he attended a wedding in India while on sick leave.

The SA Employment Tribunal found the nursing home where Smyth worked was within its rights to sack him over the social media posts.

UPDATE TO STORY:  In July 2019, the tribunal’s original decision was overturned on appeal.

Your online activity is ‘fair game’ for your boss

Miles Heffernan, Litigation Director at Industrial Relations Claims, warned one simple online post can cost you your job.

“Make no mistake, your Facebook and your Instagram are fair game for your employer,” he said.

“Be careful of everything you post on social media, especially if you’re fond of a whiskey and a late night troll of your favourite cause.”

Tips for workers

  • Make sure you have strict privacy settings in place
  • Never criticise your boss or company or previous employers online
  • Never criticise customers online
  • Be careful what posts you are tagged in
  • Be careful of identifying your employer on social media

Call our team at Industrial Relations Claims today on

1300 045 466

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