United States: National Labor Relations Board reminds employees’ rights regarding social media

Facebook, Twitter, blogs and other e-novelties didn’t exist in 1935 when the agency was created.  However, NLRB representatives think they are perfectly able to deal with this new issue.  Last fall, they looked into the case of a woman employed by an ambulance company in Connecticut, American Medical Response.  She was discharged for posting negative comments about a supervisor on her Facebook page, writing that he was a “lunatic.”  Regardless of the word used, the NLRB representatives decided that the conversations between this employee and her colleagues were “protected” by law because they aimed to improve working conditions in the company.  “It's the same as talking at the water cooler,” said Lafe Solomon, the board's acting general counsel. "The point is that employees have protection under the law to talk to each other about conditions at work.”  Before even going to the administrative court, the NLRB and American Medical Response found a compromise and the company changed the rule that prevented discussing the company on Facebook.
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rd’s acting general counsel. “The point is that employees have protection under the law to talk to each other about conditions at work.” Before even going to the administrative court, the NLRB and American Medical Response found a compromise and the company changed the rule that prevented discussing the company on Facebook.

The legal framework applicable to the e-sphere is nevertheless not totally clear. Another case is coming up. The NLRB representatives got in touch with the management of T

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