has only highlighted how regulating employee speech is difficult, nuanced, and occasionally backfires. But, of course, there are still some best practices: • Develop policies in collaboration with legal counsel, HR, technology, communications, and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) teams. Be sure the policy matches the company’s voice and recognize that this is not a one-template-fits-all exercise. • Use plain language and examples. “Do not share client information, even if their name is covered” is more helpful than “Posting client information will subject employees to discipline up to and including termination.”* • Keep up with guidance from the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) – which is subject to change. Note that blanket bans on discussing wages or complaining about supervisors or working conditions are not permissible under federal labor law. The Trump administration issued an employer-friendly rule to evaluate whether a policy interferes with employees’ rights to organize and engage in protected concerted activity. However, that ruling is potentially on the chopping block in a pending NLRB case. If the NLRB reverts to the prior, more restrictive evaluation, policies currently compliant could suddenly run afoul of the National Labor Relations Act (even in non-unionized work settings). This includes seemingly benign provisions about “respectful” content and limits on who is authorized to speak to the media.* • Confirm applicable state laws. There is a legislative trend to prohibit employers from requiring employees to engage with social media as a condition of employment or even to ask for their social media usernames as part of a job application. • Develop a plan for consistently responding to policy violations. Two employees violating the same rule, in the same way, should not be treated differently based on whether they tripped the algorithm and went viral. Relatedly, consider the reputational risk of a too-harsh response – someone fired for social media content may likely use the same platforms to discuss their termination. Conclusion If you have questions regarding your social media policy, contact your Fisher Phillips attorney, the authors of this Insight, or any attorney on our Data Security and Workplace Privacy Team. We will continue to monitor developments in this area, so ensure you are subscribed to Fisher Phillips’ Insight System to get the most up-to-date information. The author wishes to thank Law Clerks Taric Mansour and Jazmin Luna for their work co-authoring this Insight. *This section has been edited to reflect the automotive industry. To see the original post, please visit: https://www.fisherphillips.com/news-insights/oversharing-iworkplace-company-may-need-tiktok-berealpolicy.html. vada.com 23
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