Employers checking to see if one posts on websites..

[Luna]

A recent update in my company's associate's handbook prohibits "blogging about the company".

You too? We are now forbidden to talk about the company, it's customers or employees on any internet forum, blog or website. It's the best damn job I've ever had so far life to date, and I don't want to ruin it - but it does piss me off to no end. I had to go back and delete entire threads of mine just to be on the safe side.

[AFpheonix]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...531312,00.html

This was a recent TIME article on this very subject. Some of it is scarily orwellian.

[ArenaBoy]

All the more reason as to why I think its an invasion of privacy. I don't mention where I work or the team I work for because for me it's a huge risk. The cell phone thing is too creepy, what if a female worker is being stalked by her boss because of that technology?

[dispatch]

okay, if you're on salary or a company officer whose reputation could damage that of the company, MAYBE SOME of this would be justified, and I could see checking for naming names, divulging secrets, etc. but I gaurentee that if I followed my manager around on her day off and snapped pictures of the places she went I'd be labeled a pervert and thrown in jail!
if it's not happening on a company computer, leave it lie! you wouldn't fire someone for renting porn on cable.....would you?

of course all of this is why I mostly talk about past employment and even then don't divulge specifics this is all the more reason I want to own my own buisness, corporate america won't have reason to stalk me, but with my luck by the time I've got everything together for that to happen they'll check my IP adress and cookies for a buisness loan application

[dispatch]

I must say I'm suprised, just checked the ACLU website, from what I can tell they're not even thinking about this, anyone from the US that's a member might want to ask your local rep if anything's being done about this kind of thing

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

When I worked at RadioShack, it was a big no-no to post at THIS SITE <---- Click here to see the site.

Corporate actually paid people to go to the site and try to figure out who was who and at what store they worked. Some people did get fired for posting at the site. Some LPMs even went on the site and went fishing for information. DMs and RMs did the same thing. There is an injunction against the website. Read the second page and see!

Nice. So Radio Shack can pay people to go onto a Web site, identify people posting their opinions and stories about Radio Shack on that Web site, and then rat out the posters and get them fired.

But they can't pay their people a decent wage or hire enough help, I presume.

I am not privy to any propietary information, so I shouldn't have a problem there. I think not only is a violation of privacy, but it's also a case of misplaced priorities of a company is going to go onto blogs and Web sites to try and identify the people posting on them.

[Siduri]

That is messed up. When a government agency does things like that, people freak out. When your job does it, oh well!

[Monica]

I think an employee needs a place to vent every once in a while. As long as you are not bashing the company I see no harm in coming here.

For me, I do use my real name, but I never say specifically where I work.

[Argabarga]

For the ammount of time and effort any company that would do such a thing spends, they could get a lot more meaningful work done.

Every employee is going to walk out of work at least once in thier life muttering about how they hate the job, it's the human condition, trying to rat you out for it (presumably to punish you for it in some way) is a dubious proposition, as what would it possibly solve?

[LadyMage]

My place of work actually has an enforced policy about blogging about work. How do I know? I was subject to it. No, I didn't get fired but it taught me to lock my LJ b/c I don't know who had it.

Long story short, I vented about coworker who got on my nerves and my ex and also coworker had the journal in bookmark. No, it wasn't locked. Yes, my mistake as I'm painfully aware.

since then we adopted a policy that, officially, prohibits blogging about any particular aspects of the job on the sheer accoutn that IF the postings breach confidentiality, then we get fired, no questions asked. I didn't because this frankly never happened at the office before. not proud of it, but I changed LJs and locked the one I have.

The UNOFFICIAL policy states: if it's locked, posted from a PC other than the workstation and everything is disguised by either initials of not revealing anything, then it simply doesn't exist.

hence why I bring my laptop to work; wireless network is not encrypted and no one is the wiser. Speaking of which I have yet to post about the recent semester start. Hoo boy, we HAVE had stories...and I'm back on Party Nights.

[technical.angel]

I was talking to my mom about blogging about SCs and she told me that at the arena they hire guys to check to see if employees do that.

Corporate actually paid people to go to the site and try to figure out who was who and at what store they worked.

I'm at SOOO the wrong job!

I know it's probably horrible of me, but jobs like that sound AWESOME!

Of course, this is coming from the person's who's dream job is to get on the FBI Online Predator Taskforce.

Jenni

[XCashier]

Whenever I've talked about my past jobs, I always say something like "the bank," "scout camp," etc. The only place I refer to is Hechinger's. They went bankrupt 10 years ago, so there's not much they can do about it.

Yes, it is best to describe your workplace simply by what kind of business it is. You can embellish a little, like when I talk about the Drug Store From Hell or the Novelty Store at the Run Down Mall. But unless the place has been out of business for a while, it's best not to name names.

[Sandman]

My managers know I come here, but they just know it's to blow off some steam.

[Kitten in the box]

I agree with coming here to blow of steam.....as long as you dont post confidential information that is not supposed known then it should be fine. I don't think employers can fire you for venting here and getting things off your chest. That would violate your Free Speech rights amendment. Plus if the company you work for hires "fishers" how can they find out it is you if you have a username that does not identify you in anyway??

[LadyMage]

I don't think employers can fire you for venting here and getting things off your chest. That would violate your Free Speech rights amendment. Plus if the company you work for hires "fishers" how can they find out it is you if you have a username that does not identify you in anyway??

They can't fire for posting in a personal area to vent about the job BUT they could terminate if in an at-will OR if there is a serious confidentiality breach - and how many of our jobs have a standard nondisclosure agreement? I know mine does; in accordance with it I can't so much as mention my job outside the workplace. Something I've bent on MORE than one occasion, I assure.

That's what I want to know as well re: the username. I can't think of anyone who'd be able to figure out that I am who I am...and I'm damn sure I'm the only desk-er from my place of work to post here :P