Bored Teenage Office Worker Fired over Facebook Entry
Posted 02/27/09 at 10:34:38 AM by Paul Lilly
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Here's a protip for all you working teens out there: You're probably going to go through more than one job that you don't enjoy doing before settling on a career that, hopefully, will be one you like. Nearly everyone follows this path, so posting on Facebook that your job is boring is the equivalent of letting the world know you brushed your teeth this morning. Except the former can apparently get you fired, as 16-year-old Kimberly Swann found out.
"Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work we end your employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect," Swann was informed.
According to Swan, she "did not even put the company's name" in her Facebook entry, only saying that her job was boring. But according to Stephen Ivell, the company's owner, it didn't come to the decision lightly. "It is just a shame that it did not work out because she is a lovely girl. For a small company, when a decision is made, one thinks long and hard about it."
Do you agree with Ivell's decision? Hit the jump and tell us what you think.
Ridiculous
Submitted by Exlipse on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 9:34am
The whole situation is absurd, stalking your employee's facebook page (myspace, etc..) is the online equivalent of following them around while they're off the clock to see what they are up to. I've also heard of many HR depts searching social networking sites for info about potential hires. If you want to know something about someone then ask for it on an application or resume. How can an HR use information gleaned from a personal site and prove that they were completely ignoring information like race, gender, religion, etc? And since when is unhappiness a reason for termination? If that were the case, I imagine about 80% of the country would be out of a job.
Submitted by majorsuave on Thu, 03/12/2009 - 4:08pm
This sounds amazingly like in Back to the Future 2 when Marty scans his card to Needles and gets fired. This was maybe not called the Intarweb in BTTF but we all know it was.
Submitted by DePat on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 9:23am
I was amazed to see how much vitriol people spewed in response to this.
May be that teenager was bored because the work was not challenging enough. I bet that a lot of the people who commented went to period in their own work when they were bored. But of course they will never admit that everybody is the "model employee" until they get caught.
If I were the boss of that teenager, I would have asked if the boredoom was due to the lack of work and reviewed the work to ensure that she turned in her deliverables on or before time and that it was properly done. If that was the case, I would have provided her more responsibilities.
Firing somebody just because they bored by they work withouth finding out why the worker is bored is really a stupid move and if it this the case here then the boss is "stupid". Unfortunately, I do not have the details of what exactly happened and consequently cannot offer a definitive answer. I just note that it did not stop a lot of the people to do so.
I wish the teenager good luck in finding something that really gets her going.
DePat
AND again i just remind
Submitted by nekollx on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 10:01am
AND again i just remind people Boring =/= lack of work. Sometimes more responsibilites is the LAST thing you want at a boring job. Let me ast you this. Your working for some company that writes TPS reports. Day in, day out its TPS reports. 8 hours a day, five days a week. You could write TPS reports in your sleep.
sounds borning doesn't it? But it's a full days work load. Would adding even MORE TPS reports make the day any more fun?
Submitted by DePat on Tue, 03/10/2009 - 11:55am
What if I found TPS reports boring but I am the best performer? Does it mean I should be fired anyway?
DePat
Submitted by nekollx on Tue, 03/10/2009 - 12:18pm
or be given more TPS reports...
ifyou go by this thread
Submitted by Muerte on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 12:46pm
He just said the boss was not doing his due diligence by firing her without finding out why she posted what she posted. More responsibility may be what she needs to challenge her. Operative word being may.
I say FIRE da bitch!!!
Submitted by gatorXXX on Tue, 03/03/2009 - 3:53pm
I say FIRE da bitch!!!
Submitted by tom_stone on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 5:44pm
You never know when an employer (current or future) might look at it. If you say your current job is boring and your current employer sees it, even without posting their name it's obvious who your posting about. But I think what the company did was wrong, if her job was boring than maybe they didn't challenge her enough, maybe she belongs in a more creative dept than the one shes currently in. When I was up for a promotion I told my 2 bosses that this was the most boring company in that industry, they knew it too and it was the truth, got the job anyway and I'm still there.
Submitted by nekollx on Tue, 03/03/2009 - 9:33am
i think your missing the big point
It's a job, it's not supose to be a fun fest 24/7
Ask the Slaves of EA if they find game programing Fun, Boring, Tedius, or Stressful and you're bound to get "E all of the above"
Does that mean every programer should be fired because their JOB isn't a bed of roses every morning?
Actions= Results
Submitted by tkid124 on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 5:38pm
Regardless of your opinions about your
job, it's never a good idea to put negative things in writings about
your boss. See you have the freedom to write what you like, and a
boss/employer has the right to fire you. The blessed rights of
freedom. For business, people and not government.
Submitted by Pball1224 on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 9:03am
If she simply stated she was bored with her job, she shouldn't have been fired.
If every job fired every person that ever said that, I think something like 90% of the country would be unemployed! What she posted wasn't derogetory, and didn't even name the company. I think it's just a bogus excuse to cut payroll.
BS Flag!
Whenever anyone calls me
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 2:11am
Whenever anyone calls me Boss befor anything else can be said I say "Your Fired".....
hope i don't get expelled
Submitted by bmk789 on Sun, 03/01/2009 - 7:23pm
ive twittered several times in school about how bored and useless it can be....should i get expelled?
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Mon, 03/02/2009 - 2:10am
JETTSON YOUR FIRED!
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 11:01pm
Hey guys Computer Shopper Magazine is leaving... No more Computer Shopper Magazine... Life sucks...
Open A, insert B.
Submitted by Humpfester on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 5:20pm
Open A, insert B.
Submitted by carfixr44 on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 1:33pm
You're right! It doesn't seem fair.
But you're not at the Little Kids' Table anymore.
Remember how at the family gatherings you had to eat
with the little kids, and you couldn't wait
to sit with the adults?
Well......the time has come.
But it's not what you expected.
It just doesn't seem fair.
Welcome to the wonderful world of Big Folks.
Submitted by Ghostryderflyby on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 11:12am
I'm guessing that along with that boredom came some, shall we call it lack of enthusiasm in her job performance? I'm sorry to have to agree with "the man", but if somebody hates their job, they probably aren't delivering what they are getting paid for and it just makes sense to hire someone that actually enjoys their job and performs better at it.
A job is not an entitlement
Submitted by JBUR on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 10:30am
I'm hoping the article misspoke and the company laid her off and not fired her. A big difference. Regardless, if someone is bored at their job, they very likely are not performing to their fullest capability. Also likely, there is not enough work for the person. Hence, it makes sense that the company revaluate the situation (especially in these times) and respond ethically and morally. If everyone did that, we'd have no need for labor laws, our country would not be in a looming depression, etc.
Submitted by Wrenchski on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 10:17am
...anybody get the idea her JOB PERFORMANCE/PERSONALITY
might have...uhh, for lack of a better word...
SUCKED?
You don't get HIRED for JUST one reason...
you don't get FIRED for JUST one reason.
If your only tool is a hammer, every problem looks like a nail...
Submitted by Chuckles on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 6:43am
I think she learned a valuble lesson for the future...your job belongs to your employer, not you. You hold it at their pleasure, and you need to make yourself valuble TO them. People seem to think freedom of speech equates with freedom FROM CONSEQUENCES of free speech. Like Ricky Bobby..."With all due respect..."
(Given, this occured in England where the employment legalities may be different than the states, and I'd bet theres more to this, you don't just let go good employee's unless it really is a no tolerance issue.)
We need to talk about your TPS reports.
Submitted by Raiju on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 7:25pm
I think everyone is losing focus of the main topic here, where is where the hell can I get my mits on those "Office Space" bobble heads????
Raijū (雷獣,"thunder animal" or "thunder beast") is a legendary creature
from Japanese mythology. Its body is composed of either lightning or
fire.
OMG... THE POWERZ OF
Submitted by I Jedi on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 10:26pm
OMG... THE POWERZ OF GOOGLES... http://www.entertainmentearth.com/prodinfo.asp?number=DC45000
Submitted by I Jedi on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 5:12pm
Essentially, the best idea is not to have a MySpace/Facebook at all if you know it might prevent you from getting a job, or at the very least, make your profile private and don't accept invites from people you don't know. (Boss could be trying to get a peep!)
What if someone with the
Submitted by Wareagle on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 5:39pm
What if someone with the same name as you Twitter's "I hate my job?" How will your company know it wasn't you?
Submitted by I Jedi on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 10:24pm
I'd imagine by either looking at the picture on the profile or by looking at where they live. If employeers are too dumb to distinguish between the person they're thinking about hiring and another person with the same name, then a lot of people are definitely going to be in trouble in the next few years. Futhermore, I think it's entirely insane for an employeer to go into their employes life and see what they do, who they talk to, etc. Some may disagree with me, but I believe that work is a place where you go to do the job that is required of you and when you're off that is your time. P.E.R.I.O.D....
Submitted by Psi-Fire on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 4:40pm
Well, what we all seem to be over looking is that a logistics business is normally in an office setting. They more than likely have an IT department. The IT department logs all internet traffic on the company network. If she posted this while at work, from the companies network, guess what? The IT department will see what she posted and what time as well as every website she visited. As a side note with a company having a network with access to the internet. The company should have already had her sign some sort of form stating that she can be sacked for inappropriate usage of the companies computers/network. As well as it stating that the IT department is watching. So, let this be a lesson. Don't go post things while you are at work from the companies network. Because until your shift ends, you are on the companies time.
Survey...
Submitted by yogurt80 on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 4:13pm
Let me ask you tall this: what if someone were on there 10 minute break- not lunch, but a break where they are gietting payed, and update there twitter status from there cell phone? You're still on company time then.
What has the world come to?
Submitted by Geeksquadmyss on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 2:00pm
The fact that her bosses are snooping around a 16 year old facebook? This is why you she your S**T to private people. Man if the company i worked for last summer only saw what i said about some of the morons i worked with...opps they may use that against me! I mean all she said was her job was boring, shes 16 of course she thinks its boring!
This opens the door even wider for companies using your social networking profiles againts you, i understand that you shouldnt put anything online that you dont want on there however there should be a certain level of trust and respect, its like going through a employees medical records.
Profiles = private settings
All I can say is I
Submitted by Tekzel on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 10:16am
All I can say is I disagree. If you are stupid enough to post your private life online where anyone can read it, you deserve what you get. Repeat after me folks: Supidity has consequences. Or at least it should. Sometimes the world works in a logical manner, and a dumb 16 year old does something moronic and loses their job. Maybe she will gain smidge of wisdom from this and learn how the big bad real world differs from her little highschool/online social network world. Or, maybe not.
Submitted by turbonutter on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 2:31pm
Aww shucks, here I was ready to write a nastygram to the company, and wouldn't you know it, their contact page comes back with a 404. Coincidence?
I think not.
Your private life is open for business.
Submitted by Cache on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:04pm
When I am on company time, I fully expect that my company may reasonably assume that I will always toe the company line, follow every whimsical HR policy developed, and not say a thing against said company to its customers, stockholders, vendors, or affiliates. They may monitor my computer, they may regulate my breaks and lunches to insane milliseconds, and they may invent whole new rules each hour that supercede the new rules they created an hour ago.
The question I see is that if I am to be expected to maintain this shell of corporate supremacy I should fully expect to be compensated for my time in addition to the regular hours worked at a job. My job description, HR policy, and every rule ever invented by my company has no inclusion of a rule stating that I may not voice my personal feelings in a public matter when I am not working for them. My private time--and how I choose to spend it, provided it is fully legal, permissable, and protected under state and federal laws--is my own. Full time employee does not mean 'All-the-time' employee. If my company wants that satisfaction, I'd best see another comma in my paychecks.
Damn it, now I'm going to expound on this on my own facebook account.
Submitted by neo1piv14 on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 12:14pm
I 100% agree with you, man. If I ever got canned for something I wrote on my own time, at home, on my own computer, I'd go after them for wrongfully firing me. Your company is paying you to be on time, doing your duties as outlined in your job description, and maintaining your professionalism while you're on the clock. Once I punch out, that's my time, and I'm no longer being paid to do all those things. Sure, the internet is a public place, and she was stupid to post something there. However, I doubt you could get someone fired by evesdropping on a phone conversation about how stupid work was or reading a text message when they set their phone down about how boring it is in the office. I can only imagine her boss has said worse when he was at home. It's just that he didn't have the Internet to narc him out.
Submitted by nekollx on Fri, 03/06/2009 - 12:52pm
new word:
Inter-Narc!
Submitted by Towers27 on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:03pm
1) Why would anyone take offense at hearing that their office was boring? How is this slandering the company? Was it a Clown College, or an office? "Boring" might be slanderous for a Clown College. Standard fair for an office.
2) I would expect them to pull her aside and ask her why she thought it was boring, and what does she think would make it more rewarding. Instead, they fired her. That is a bit of an over-reaction, and very heavy-handed.
3) 16 years old. Unless her job had several 18+ year old boys, it was doomed to be boring. As many people have pointed out, the company should have known what they were getting with a 16 yr old. It isn't like she was saying what an idiot her boss was - although he sure made that obvious enough.
4) She is quite attractive. If they had held on to her for 2 more years, she would have been legal.
Submitted by arkweld on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 7:22pm
She's British. She's already legal.
And topic off, begin.
Submitted by Keith E. Whisman on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 2:27pm
Good man always thinking with your dic.
My guess is that this was
Submitted by jcollins on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:11pm
My guess is that this was the latest of several issues with her. Or else the boss is a jerk. Or both combined. Obviously it's an at-will employment state.
Submitted by dc10ten on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 12:52pm
i say it's an invasion of privacy. Facebook is not meant to be any part of the work life.
Submitted by Tekzel on Sat, 02/28/2009 - 10:20am
Invasion of privacy isn't possible in a place that you should have no expectation of privacy to begin with. Like on the publicly accessible interwebs.
Submitted by yogurt80 on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 12:36pm
I think this is lame. We don't know the context of any of this. I work at an electronics store in a very small town on saturdays. It's like a 30 mile drive just to get there for my 8 hours. I usually help like 12-20 customers and that's it, and I'm the only employee there the whole day. Last week, after going about anm hour without a single customer, the store was all cleaned, everything was nice and tighty, and I went on to facebook, and posted that I was bored at work. That's it!! Doesn't mean I don't love my job, which I absolutely do- just means it was slow at the time!! Took me like 2 seconds to post, so I wasn't wasting a lot of company time. I was just stating a fact- so what?! Hell, maybe someone would see the post, feel sorry for me, and come buy something!
Submitted by MeTo on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 1:16pm
In your case you are on the company dime dont waste it on your personal internet activity. People all the time say im posting this from work. Well gues what Work is for work not surfing the internet or playing video games.
Submitted by yogurt80 on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 3:17pm
Like I said- it took about 2 seconds. Didn't spend all day on it. And the boss knows very well that there is nothing to do ther on a slow day, when it's raining and no one is coming in. I usually bring other projects from home to work on, and everyone is well aware of that. It's a very, very small store with little to clean or inventory. The point is, just because I say I'm bored, doesn't mean I don't enjoy my work. I've worked for this place for 7 years, and sometimes, quite frankly, it's boring.
Submitted by jeremy39 on Sat, 03/07/2009 - 10:45am
So you only stole 2 seconds. That's like saying "I only stole two dollars". SO you should give your employer back 2 seconds worth of your pay. Besides, the last time I logged in and typed something, even just "i'm bored at work", it really took more than 2 seconds.
Submitted by neo1piv14 on Fri, 03/13/2009 - 11:38am
I love the argument "you/she/they should have to pay your company back for the time you spent on facebook/myspace/crackmonkey.com because it's like stealing from your company."
First off, she shouldn't have been on there at all. Had she been there for any length of time, she should have known that her boss was not the type that would be OK with surfing on company time.
Secondly, if I have 8 hours worth of time that I have to be at my desk for, I have 8 hours worth of work to do that day, and I somehow finish in 7.5 hours because I worked hard through lunch, or I found a more efficient way to do something, it's not stealing from the company. If my boss stopped letting me surf the internet after my work was finished for the day, I'd just make my work take longer. Sure I could find more stuff to do that's above and beyond, but he could also be paying me more to do extra work.
Thirdly: I'm not sure what she was being paid, but 1 second of my time is worth less than half of a penny. If I spend 2 minutes checking my email or updating my Facebook status, take it out of my freakin check if it bothers you that much. To check my email on most days is simply "click once, enter password, click once, 'nope, no new emails,' close." That takes me roughly 10-15 seconds.
Like it or not
Submitted by Lodis4 on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 12:29pm
Facebook and myspace are going to influence jobs and careers now and in the future. You don't want to two facets of your life to cross? Be very careful about what you post online and to whom you talk to about your online presence at the workplace.
That being said, a professional online profile can be an asset when used as an example of works and comunication skills while hunting for a job or referencing your work. That same page can have the opposite effect and put a bad tast in the mouth of a potential hiring manager.
Submitted by ScottProdigy on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 12:05pm
Ever hear of freedom of speech and press? If the company wasn't named, they can't be slandered. Simple enough. Those in the know have an idea who the girl is talking about, but I don't see it being any of the company's business, unless she works M-F 9-5 and the post was made at 10am during company time, then maybe, just maybe, she could have violated their TOS for internet usage.
The First Amendment only
Submitted by Nuxes on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 12:25pm
The First Amendment only applies to the government. Private companies can do whatever they want.
Submitted by Wareagle on Fri, 02/27/2009 - 11:20am
She must have been "friends" with her boss or something, because I don't see how he could have known otherwise.
If that was the case, she should have been fired for stupidity.
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