Social Media & You're Fired	
Facebook, Twitter & You're Fired (page 1 of 2)	
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Telegram, Messenger, Tumblr, Blogs, Linkedin, etc.) cause new dangers 
for business owners and workers in the work world.  Today, your social media personality can prevent an 
employer from hiring you.  Offensive pictures, posts, tweets, and comments 
can get you fired from your job.  In fact 29% of 18 to 34 year-olds say that 
they have posted a photo, comment, or personal information on social med
ia 
that they worry could cost them a current or future job.  Also, over 70% of 
employers check a job applicant’s social media sites before offering a job.
Do employers have a right to fire a worker for social media posts?
Yes. When an employer is offended, the worker is fired.  A few workers are fighting the firing in court, but 
a court case is expensive and often not successful.  Social media is a n
ew world.  Therefore, courts and 
employers are setting new rules about what is allowed and what is not al
lowed for workers to share, say, 
and do in social media pictures, posts, tweets, and comments.    Also, employers now enforce social media 
policies (rules to follow) that new hires must agree to by signing  
the Social Media Policy document. 
Are workers fired for what they do during non-work hours on 
Facebook, Twitter, and other internet sites?
Yes.  There are many examples of a worker making a dumb social 
media mistake that cost the worker a job —
  
•  Office clerk  wrote about her first day on the job in an office: "First day at work. Omg!! So dull!!"   The 
office clerk received termination (you are fired) letter from the manager who was of fended by the post.
•  Waitress at pizza restaurant posted comment about a customer who left a small tip: "Thanks for eating 
at Brixx, you cheap piece of s__t."  The pizza restaurant manager gave the waitress a termination (you 
are fired) letter for insulting a customer.  
•  Waiter tweeted about a group of workers who didn’t leave a tip after their company's business lunch 
saying "Shout out to the good people of (name of business) for placing a $170 order and not leaving a 
tip!"  The tweet included Twitter handle for the workers' company, so all in Twitter could give a shout 
out to the company.  This waiter was fired.  
•  Sales associate took time off for a "family emergency," then posted time stamped pictures of him on 
vacation.  He was fired for lying about reason for taking time of f from work. 
•  Travel agent  was fired for talking about a coworker saying she 
wanted to "smack the rude cow in the face."  
•  Young worker who was offered high paying job with an internet 
company tweeted: "Cisco just offered me a job!  Now I have to 
weigh getting a fatty paycheck against long daily drive to San Jose 
and hating the work."  When a Cisco supervisor saw the tweet, 
the young worker was told that she would not have to hate her job 
anymore since she no longer had job at Cisco.

College & Career Publishing.  Permission to use with usworkworld.com subscription.  
QUICK CHECK:	
Facebook, Twitter & You're Fired (page 2 of 2)	
1. a) What can prevent an employer from hiring 
you?  b) What 4 things can get you fired?
2.  What percent of young folks worry that a post 
on social media could cost them a job?
3.  What percent of employers check a job 
  applicant's social media sites before hire?
4.  a) When is an employee fired?  b) Why is it 
hard to fight the firing in court?  c)  What are 
courts and employers are now setting up ?  
  d) What must applicants sign before hire?
5.  Why do you think the manger was offended 
  when office clerk said she was bored?
6.  Why did the pizza restaurant manager give the 
waitress a termination (you are fired) letter?
7.  Why was the sales associate fired?
8.  Why was the Cisco supervisor offended?
How can I protect myself from a social media mistake?
a)  Do not post, tweet, or say anything that you would not want a manager to
 
see.  For example, do not complain about your job, your coworkers, your 
  supervisor, or the company's products on social media sites.
b)  Keep your internet social media personality professional, polite, and 
squeaky clean.
c)  Set your social media privacy settings high.  Check to see what the outside 
world sees when they visit your social media page.  
d)  Tweets cannot be erased from some websites; therefore, tweets last foreve
r.  
Be polite, be considerate of others, and be careful.
e)  Do not allow tagged photos to be posted until you review the photos.  
  Allow only close friends to see approved photos.
f)  Look at the apps, groups, and likes on your profile.  Does each reflect a business-like image of you?
g)  Don’t post anything that may be considered racist, sexist, or discriminatory in any way.
h)  Remember: Your manager has the right to monitor (look at) your social media life outside of work.
What does a company’s social media policy (rules) say I can and cannot do?
Here is example:  "Best Buy’s social media policy lists:  #1) What you should do;and  #2) What you should 
never reveal.  Best Buy adds a comment:  If you wonder if you can talk about something you learned at 
work – DON'T.  Follow Best Buy’s policies and live the company’s values and philosophies (way of 
doing business).   Just in case you ignore the policy, here is what could happen:  You could: 1) Get fired.  
2) Get Best Buy in legal trouble with customers or investors.  3) Cost us ability to get and keep customers."
The days are gone when wisecracks and jokes about the job stayed private.   Today, wisecracks and jokes 
are shared on social media for millions to read.  That is why employers set up policies (rules) — and why a 
worker needs to keep his or her personal social media life clean and pro
fessional.	My
social media is being
watched?	
9.  To protect you from a social media mistake:  
  a) What should you not post?  b) How should 
you keep your social media personality?  c) To 
what should you set your Facebook privacy?  
  d) How long do tweets last?  e) What do you 
need to do to tagged photos before posting?  
f) What should your apps, groups, and likes 
reflect?  g) Don't post anything that may be 
considered what 3 things?  h) What may your 
manager have a right to do?
10.  a) What 2 things does Best Buy's social media 
policy list?  b) What 3 things does Best Buy say 
can happen if you ignore the policy?
11.  a) What days are gone?  b) What days are here?
12.  If you were supervisor of a grocery store, would 
you watch social media sites for offensive 
  behavior by your workers?  Why or why not?