ARE YOUR AT-WILL AND SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES COMPLIANT?: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM THE NLRB
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Transcript of ARE YOUR AT-WILL AND SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES COMPLIANT?: LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM THE NLRB
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ARE YOUR AT-WILL AND SOCIAL MEDIA POLICIES COMPLIANT?:
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS FROM THE NLRB
James H. GilliamBrownWinick
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000Des Moines, IA 50309-2510
Telephone: 515-242-2446Facsimile: 515-323-8546
E-mail: [email protected]
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National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
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NLRB
Regulates employee rights to engage in collective activities in businesses in “interstate commerce”.
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Concerted activities for purposes of mutual aid and protection.
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Interstate Commerce
• Non-retail establishments -- $50,000 gross receipts
• Retail/Construction establishments - $500,000 gross receipts
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NLRB majority controlled by Obama-administration appointees
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Hyatt Corporation Policies
“I understand my employment is ‘at will.’”
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Hyatt Corporation Policies (cont.)
“I acknowledge that no oral or written statements or representations regarding my employment can alter my at-will employment status, except for a written statement signed by me” and Hyatt’s president or executive vice president/COO.”
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Hyatt Corporation Policies (cont.)
“[T]he at-will status of my employment … can only be changed in writing” signed by the employee and one of the two Hyatt executives.
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NLRB General Counsel
“… essentially a waiver in which an employee agrees that his/her at-will status cannot change, thereby relinquishing his/her right to advocate concertedly, whether represented by a union or not, to change his/her at-will status.”
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NLRB General Counsel
April 2012 Guidance on Social Media
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Concern: Overbroad Policies Chill Protected Activity
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Example of Overbroad Policy:
Policy language prohibiting “[m]aking disparaging comments about the company through any media, including online blogs, other electronic media or through the media.”
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Example of Acceptable Policy
Policy language which prohibited “the use of social media to post or display comments about coworkers or supervisors or the Employer that are vulgar, obscene, threatening, intimidating, harassing, or a violation of the Employer’s workplace policies against discrimination, harassment, or hostility on account of age, race, religion, sex, ethnicity, nationality, or other protected class, status or characteristic”
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Concern: Retaliation for Exercise of Protected Activity
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Examples of Protected Social Media Discussions
Employee complaints and criticisms of a
supervisor’s attitude and performance.
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Examples of Protected Social Media Discussions (cont.)
Employee discussions regarding shared
concerns about terms and conditions of employment
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Examples of Unprotected Social Media Discussions
Expressions of individual gripes
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Banner Health System
Confidentiality in workplace investigations
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NLRB Position
Complaining employee has right to talk to coworkers about workplace concerns that outweighs general concerns about integrity of investigation.
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EEOC Position
Employer cannot interfere with a complaining party’s ability to gather evidence or pursue a change.
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On Hold
• Poster• “Quickie” Elections
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Website: www.brownwinick.comToll Free Phone Number: 1-888-282-3515
OFFICE LOCATIONS:
666 Grand Avenue, Suite 2000Des Moines, Iowa 50309-2510
Telephone: (515) 242-2400Facsimile: (515) 283-0231
616 Franklin PlacePella, Iowa 50219
Telephone: (641) 628-4513Facsimile: (641) 628-8494
DISCLAIMER: No oral or written statement made by BrownWinick attorneys should be interpreted by the recipient as suggesting a need to obtain legal counsel from BrownWinick or any other firm, nor as suggesting a need to take legal action. Do not attempt to solve individual problems upon the basis of general information provided by any BrownWinick attorney, as slight changes in fact situations may cause a material change in legal result.