Sunshine Coast Law Firm, Aitken Legal urges businesses on the Sunshine Coast to ensure they have a social media policy in place and that their employees are fully aware of it and consequences of breach.
The Australian Financial Review recently reported that Australian businesses are at risk of joining a growing list of companies who have been subject to lawsuits by their employees in relation to being dismissed due to inappropriate social media activity.
Lisa Aitken, Managing Partner of Aitken Legal says that employers need to be mindful that social media has fast become another medium through which employees express their displeasure with the workplace.
“Generally speaking, the derogatory comments posted by employees on the social networking sites are generally made outside of working hours. This presents a problem because once again, we enter the blurry divide between private and public and the ability employers have to discipline employees for behaviour conducted outside of working hours.”
“Employers should take caution when presented with a case of social network shaming and consider all factors prior to dismissing an employee, especially if they do not have any social media policies in place for the business.”
More cases are occurring of employees contesting dismissal on social media grounds and filing unfair dismissal applications against their former employers. This highlights the need for sunshine coast businesses to review their current workplace policies and ensure employees are fully aware of them and consequences of breach.
For more information on workplace policies and in particular social media policies, contact Aitken Legal on 5413 4000 or visit www.aitkenlegal.com.au.
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