Feds Rule Facebook Comments Are Protected Speech
A woman who blasted her supervisor on Facebook was unfairly fired, according to a decision by the National Labor Relations Board. The woman had complained about her boss on her Facebook page from her home computer. The board said her comments were protected speech under federal labor law.
Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. For personal, noncommercial use only. See Terms of Use. For other uses, prior permission required.
RENEE MONTAGNE, host:
NPR's business news starts with slamming the boss on Facebook.
(Soundbite of music)
MONTAGNE: A woman who blasted her supervisor on Facebook was unfairly fired. That's the decision of the National Labor Relations Board. The woman was an emergency medical technician in Connecticut. Her boss told her a customer complained about her work, so she complained about her boss, rudely, on her Facebook page from her home computer. The Labor Relations Board said her comments were protected speech under federal labor law.
The Board sued the ambulance company and as part of a settlement reached yesterday the ambulance company agreed to change its policy. Workers are no longer barred from posting negative comments about the company online.
Copyright © 2011 National Public Radio®. All rights reserved. No quotes from the materials contained herein may be used in any media without attribution to National Public Radio. This transcript is provided for personal, noncommercial use only, pursuant to our Terms of Use. Any other use requires NPR's prior permission. Visit our permissions page for further information.
NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by a contractor for NPR, and accuracy and availability may vary. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Please be aware that the authoritative record of NPR's programming is the audio.
More Business
Economy
Hiring Pickup Possible As Jobless Claims Level Off
New applications for unemployment benefits dipped 2,000 to a seasonally adjusted 370,000 last week.
Economy
Durable Goods Orders Up; Business Investment Dips
Orders for durable goods increased 0.2 percent last month after a 3.7 percent decline in March.
Business
Outlook For Housing Industry Appears Promising
One hopeful sign is that people are starting to form their own household by moving out on their own.
Comments
Discussions for this story are now closed. Please see the Community FAQ for more information.