Social Media Policies...

A reputation can take a life time to build and only seconds to destroy.

Does your HR Department use social media as a recruiting tool? Do they use it to investigate the credentials and qualifications of job applicants? Is it used to track the activities of current employees?

With over 30 million Facebook users in the UK alone, 155 million Tweets sent per day social media is here to stay. So what’s the problem?

As an employer it can be a tricky business to monitor or prevent damage to your business caused by careless comments or inappropriate jokes. Particularly when they turn out to be no-laughing matter, and have in some cases lead to employment tribunals.

In such a grey area where exactly do you as an employer stand? How far is too far, are you in danger of invading your employees right to privacy?

If you currently have no clear social media policy, now is certainly the time to develop one. An unambiguous and clear social media policy is a vital part of any employment contract, as is an email content or copyright policy and can help to protect your business from disgruntled employees or defamation of character.

At the very least it is wise to issue a broad statement such as;

Staff members using social media must be aware that it is subject to the full range of laws applying to other communications, including copyright, breach of confidence, defamation, privacy, contempt of court, harassment, vilification and anti-discrimination legislation, the creation of contractual obligations, and criminal laws. Social media can be the subject of legal proceedings.

However without a social media clause in your employment contract you could be making your business vulnerable to prosecution. We would suggest that in order to ensure both you and your employees know where you stand legally, consulting a specialist in this area of law.

If you would like more information on Social Media Policies we are happy to provide details of a trusted and reputable law firm.

 

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At Key Appointments we want to supply you with relevant and useful information, if there are topics you would like more information on then please email us at info@key-appointments.co.uk

 

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