Will Your Social Media Policy pass the NLRB test?
The use of social media in the workplace and even beyond the workplace has gotten to be pretty confusing. I am not even sure I can make sense of the social media policy mess. Some of the attorneys I know cannot make sense of some of it either, especially with the machinations of the National Labor Relations Board. So I am going to refer you some of the blog posts that have been written on the matter as well as a few other posts on the legalities of social media.
- NLRB’s position on social media policies remains a bungled mess. From Jon Hyman this is an excellent analysis of what a mass of confusion has been caused by the NLRB. Read this one for certain.
- Breaking: New NLRB Guidance on Social Media Policies by Dan Schwartz provides a quick summary and a link to download the NLRB “guidance.”
- Want a labor-law-legal social media policy? Bookmark this, I guess. Eric B. Meyer provides more detail in his analysis.
- The NLRB Is Laughing All the Way to the Bank by Molly DiBianca takes a “shove it” approach to what the NLRB is doing. In fact she pointed out that the consequences of having a bad policy is that you will have to change it, after of course you go to court, but lawyers are cheap these days. (LOL)
- Accessing Employees’ Social Media: New Statutory Restrictions. Attorney Joyce Mocek ventures into social media passwords and tells us about Maryland’s law, in what will undoubtedly be a growing list of states. It is important to note that there are some (a few anyway) provisions that protect employer interests.
- And from Mike Vandervort we get to see the NLRB’s own social media policy at NLRB social media policy. Apparently they don’t follow their own guidance.
- Lastly there is Who Owns Social Media? Risk Management? From Social Fish this post asks who within a company owns social media? Marketing, HR or Risk Management?
So check this blog posts out and see if you have any more insight into this mess than these fine minds.
Sign up for free HR Solutions updates via email
Omega HR Solutions, Inc. uses creative human resource solutions to provide answers to time, money and service issues with employers and their employees. Visit our Products and Services page for more information or contact us to learn how we can help your organization.
- Share
- Tweet
- Email This
Share it!
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
Mike,
Much is being made about this issue and I thought the snapshot in today’s “USA Today” from a CareerBuilder survey of 2,300 hiring managers and HR professionals was interesting:
52% said NO they do not research candidates on social networking sites
37% said NO but I plan to start
11% said YES
Much is being argued over this but it would appear only a small percentage of employers are actually doing this. I thought it was interesting and tied into your post. Much less than everyone thinks if this survey is to be believed.
Keep up the good work,
Greg