Legal Ramifications Of Social Media Gaffes Can Be Extreme In Business Environment

Pavneet Singh Uppal was quoted in Phoenix Business Journal on January 15, 2014.

A New York public relations executive was fired over an offensive joke posted on Twitter, and Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett faced some criticism recently over a joke he made about Asians.

Social media troubles have been in the headlines lately.

What legal consequences can companies face for offensive social media behavior by their employees?

Pavneet said the rules governing an employer's ability to discipline an employee based on social network postings varies based on the circumstances and the state where the employee works.

“Cases involving termination of employees for engaging in social networking still are in the early stages, and many legal issues remain unresolved. However, some states prohibit terminating employees for lawful off-duty conduct,” Pavneet explained.

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