Know Your Social Media Rights in the Workplace

Millions of Americans connect through social media on a regular basis, openly sharing information about their day-to-day lives. Although some employers may want to keep comments about the workplace to a minimum, the National Labor Relations Act, or NLRA, prevents employers from punishing workers who use social media to voice discontent at work.

If you have had your rights violated under the National Labor Relations Act, you may be entitled to pursue legal action against your employer. To learn more about your options, contact a Houston discrimination lawyer of the Ross Law Group by calling 713-482-6910 today.

You Have the Right to Talk to Others about Work

Under NLRA standards, an employee generally has the right to talk about complaints they have at work. Although there are some exceptions to this rule, particularly if an employee is trying to convince another employee to quit, two or more employees may usually freely discuss work over social media channels.

You Have the Right to Say What You Mean

When an employee has a complaint about work, it’s often voiced to others through cutting sarcasm or words that would not otherwise be appropriate for the workplace. However, social media communications between workers cannot be censored in this way by an employer. An employer can’t take punitive action simply because social media communication was deemed embarrassing or inappropriate by managers.

You Have the Right to Post Relevant Media

It’s become common for people to connect through social media as much in pictures as they might in words. Thus, it is important to know that an employer is not allowed to prohibit dialogue between co-workers that includes company pictures of that employee. Also, an employer can’t make a general statement forbidding the inclusion of company logos in employee pictures shared across social media.

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While these rights are afforded under the NLRA, their use within the context of social media is still largely untested in the courts. As these laws can change constantly, a person should consult an attorney before taking any action against their employer. To discuss your case further, contact a Houston employment attorney of the Ross Law Group at 713-482-6910.