Employee Misuse of Internet & Social Media

Misuse of the internet as well as social media costs the economy an estimated £14 billion a year. ACAS has stated that online conduct of employees should be subject to the same requirements as workplace conduct. Social Media use may impact on the employment relationship in matters such as pre-employment vetting, dealing with absence, information ownership and damage to a company’s reputation. In a nutshell employees should be aware of what they post online due to its effect and admissibility in disciplinary procedures whereas employers should be careful in using information or acting in response to a posting or use of information for conduct or capability procedures. Legal advice should be sought to avoid the pitfalls