NLRB, Facebook, Employer Liability Issues

NLRB Says Facebook Comments About Workplace Safety Remain Protected

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 8/15/2018

Despite changes to the composition of the National Labor Relations Board over the past year, the NLRB’s position with regard to protection of employee social media discussions remains unchanged. Last month, the NLRB affirmed...more

Facebooking Misappropriated Employer Form Is Not Protected Activity

Sherman & Howard L.L.C. on 7/18/2018

On June 11, 2018, the National Labor Relations Board (Board) Division of Advice applied the Board’s new Boeing standard for assessing employer policies. The Division advised that an employer did not violate the NLRA when it...more

Social Media in the Workplace: More Changes Ahead?

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC on 12/12/2017

In days past employees discussed and debated workplace issues around the water cooler. That sentimental past-time has long since been replaced by online social media networking and the reach of social media is stunning....more

“Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!”: How to get yourself fired for a Facebook post

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on 11/13/2017

Social media has created a minefield of concerns for both employees and employers. The news is full of stories of employees documenting their questionable off-duty conduct on social media, or posting comments containing...more

Employer Cannot Fire Employees For Obscenity-Laced Facebook Posts During Union Organizing Campaign

Tonkon Torp LLP on 5/16/2017

Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act protects employees who engage in concerted activities for purposes of collective bargaining or for mutual aid and protection. How far that protection extends was tested in NLRB v....more

Oh F**k: Employee’s Profane Facebook Post is Protected Activity

Orrick - Employment Law and Litigation on 5/5/2017

On April 21, 2017, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB or Board) ruling that an employer violated the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA or Act) when it discharged a catering...more

Second Circuit Holds Termination of Employee Who Attacked Supervisor in Obscene Facebook Post Violates NLRA

Mintz - Employment Viewpoints on 4/26/2017

The Second Circuit said last week that an employer violated the National Labor Relations Act when it fired an employee who criticized a supervisor on Facebook during an election. The catch here is that the Second Circuit...more

Why after-hours social media posts can still spell on-the-job trouble

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC on 10/25/2016

Many people think that only teenagers and twentysomethings are using Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Pinterest, LinkedIn and Google Plus to interact with others. Not so....more

Second Circuit Affirms NLRB Decision Employers Won’t Like

Allen Matkins on 11/16/2015

Back in August 2014, we discussed an NLRB decision, which concluded that employees’ use of Facebook’s “like” button can constitute protected concerted activity under Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act and that the...more

Quirky Question #269: Like it or Not – Facebook Post Protected Under the NLRA

Dorsey & Whitney LLP on 11/12/2015

Question: I own a small manufacturing company that employs 25-35 employees, depending on our workload. Over the years, a number of my customers and my employees have “friended” me on Facebook. Last week, I saw that one of...more

Where’s the “Dislike” Button? 2nd Circuit Affirms Employee-Friendly Social Media Ruling

Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel LLP on 11/6/2015

In my last post on HR legalist, I outlined the current state of the law regarding employee social media use. One trend I have been following is the National Labor Relations Board’s expansion of protections for employees who...more

Second Circuit Affirms NLRB View That Facebook "Likes" Are Protected Concerted Activity

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 11/2/2015

Last week, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals backed the National Labor Relations Board’s position that employee social media postings are protected concerted activity under federal law, even if they use obscenities that...more

Facebook “Like” Protected Speech Under the NLRA

Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP on 10/29/2015

We all have them. Friends and family who overshare on Facebook. Their food choices (complete with pictures), exercise routine, and relationship drama, all solidified in the form of a status update. Annoying maybe, but mostly...more

Second Circuit Upholds That Facebook "Likes" Can Be Protected, Concerted Activity

Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP on 10/28/2015

On October 21, 2015, the Second Circuit upheld the National Labor Relations Board’s (NLRB) earlier ruling that clicking the Facebook “Like” button can be protected concerted activity. The Triple Play Sports Bar & Grill fired...more

Will the Second Circuit “Like” the NLRB’s Recent Stance on Social Media? An Update on the Facebook “Like” Firing Case

Mintz - Employment, Labor & Benefits... on 4/29/2015

The NLRB last week filed its brief at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in the well-publicized Facebook “Like” firing case, Three D, LLC v. NLRB. Prior to the appeal, we discussed the NLRB’s August 2014 ruling here as part...more

NLRB Holds Employee’s Obscene Facebook Post Criticizing Supervisor is Protected

Mintz - Employment, Labor & Benefits... on 4/14/2015

We have written previously about the expanding scope of social media activities that the National Labor Relations Act protects and the tight limits the NLRB places on an employer’s ability to discipline employees for...more

The National Labor Relations Board 2014 Year in Review - Overview of the Board's Significant Actions

McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC on 1/22/2015

Introduction - If the National Labor Relations Board seemed to be on the ropes in 2013, it certainly came out swinging in 2014. Last year, we reported that the Board faced a number of serious legal battles. Although...more

Think Twice Before Firing an Employee for Facebook Posts

Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein LLP on 1/13/2015

Social media continues to play an important role in all aspects of a company’s internal and public communications. Companies are utilizing social media to make SEC disclosures, coordinate targeted advertising and marketing...more

Poetic Justice – 2014 Wrap Up (Part 1 of 2)

Cozen O'Connor on 12/19/2014

This is the time of year to anxiously look forward to all that is anticipated to come in 2015. But it is also the time to look back at all that has happened in 2014. Rather than simply give you links to all of my stimulating...more

Employment Law - November 2014

Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP on 11/21/2014

State Voters Pass Paid Sick Leave, Wage Increases - Why it matters: The polls have closed and the votes are in: The midterm elections will have a significant impact on employers across the country as voters in multiple...more

Teach Appropriate Speech - Or risk liability for employees' derogatory on-line comments about customers

Pierce Atwood LLP on 11/21/2014

Recent District of Hawaii decision suggests social media policies are more important than ever, despite NLRB’s dramatic limits on employers’ ability to police employee speech on the Internet - Howard v. Hertz - ...more

NLRB Shows Some Restraint in its Protection of Employee Social Media Communications: Employee Termination Arising From “Egregious”...

Mintz - Employment, Labor & Benefits... on 11/5/2014

In the wake of the NLRB’s aggressive crackdown on social media policies, many employers have asked: “Is there any limit to what employees can post on social media about their employers?” It appears that there is. Just last...more

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