How YOUR social media posts could leave you jobless

A reckless social media post could cost you your job. Handle social media posts with caution.

Social media is a convenient way to keep in touch with acquaintances, friends and family. However, you must be careful about your interactions on social media.

ALSO READ: Londie London’s ex allegedly charged with two counts of murder

SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AS REASON FOR DISMISSAL

Employers can fire you for certain types of speech on your personal social media profiles. According to Cavanagh & Richards Attorneys, sharing malicious content about your boss on social media, can be a reason for dismissal. Your employer can fire you based on a breakdown in the working relationship. It can also be regarded as a breach of trust. Even if you do not state where you work, there are various ways to find out. Even a simple Google search might unveil your place of employment.

ALSO READ: WhatsApp messages with legal consequences in SA

LIES EXPOSED

Another way trust can be compromised in a working relationship is through dishonesty. Have you ever called in sick when you weren’t sick and went on an outing instead? Posting status updates or sharing photos on social media can easily expose your lie. According to Labour Guide, if an employee is absent from work due to a false claim of being ill, it is a breach of contract. This misconduct can justify disciplinary action and possible dismissal.

ALSO READ: How to know your smartphone, mobile device has been hacked

USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS A PLACE TO VENT

Do you complain about your job, salary, or boss? Make sure not to do it on social media. Making derogatory remarks about your job, customers, or workplace can result in you getting fired.

An example of this is the Fredericks v Jo Barkett Fashions case many years ago. The employer fired the employee for publicly staining the company’s reputation. Fredericks used Facebook to publish derogatory remarks about her employer’s manager. She challenged the dismissal as being unfair. The Commissioner, however, found that the dismissal was fair.

SHARING CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION

Some people are very eager to share unusual events or terrible experiences, especially those that happen at work. However, it is important to consider confidentiality when you want to share your day with others. Disclosing confidential information can cost you your job. 

A law publication by the University of South Africa states: “Due to the nature of social media, by posting information about work an employee runs the risk of inadvertently disclosing sensitive or confidential information which could be very damaging to the employer.”

ALSO READ: RANKED: The most popular social media platforms in South Africa

IT’S A SMALL WORLD

The cliché “it’s a small world” applies even more to the virtual world than the physical world. Social media connects people from all over the world. The internet shrinks our planet, putting you just a click away from friends but also from strangers. Connections that you didn’t make can lead back to you.

ALSO READ: Meta launches comic book for online safety