Sexting, Security, & Social Media:

Digital Dilemmas in the Workplace and How to Solve Them

Susan Bassford Wilson, Esq. 

Introduction1. Pre‐employment digital dilemmas

‐ Pitfalls of applicant screening ‐ Failure‐to‐hire claims 

2. Digital dilemmas of current employees‐ Sexting, discrimination and harassment‐ Electronics in employment‐ Data security

3. Post‐employment (and litigation‐related) dilemmas‐ Bring‐your‐own‐device dilemmas‐ Wage and hour concerns

The e‐Laws• The Electronic Communications Privacy Act• The Fair Credit Reporting Act • Title VII and other discrimination statutes• Whistleblower laws (federal and state)• The National Labor Relations Act (“NLRA”)

• Stored Communications Act• State statutes

Pre‐employment Dilemmas 

Pitfalls of applicant screening

Searching social media provides a way for employers to learn helpful information they may not get during the typical hiring process.

• Resume inconsistencies• Hobbies• Attitude

Pitfalls of applicant screeningSearching social media provides a way for employers to learn problematic information they normally would not (and should not) get during the hiring process.

• Age• Genetic disorders/predispositions• Religious beliefs • National origin• Other protected characteristics

Failure‐to‐Hire Claims

Defining failure to hire Recordkeeping requirements   

Pre‐employment Dilemmas: Solutions 

Figure out the best strategy for your company. Create appropriate policies and procedures. Train on the company’s policy. Follow the company’s policy. Document, document, document! Be consistent. If you can’t do it in person, don’t do it online.

Digital Dilemmas for Current Employees 

Sexting, sexual harassment, and online discrimination

There’s an app for that• 29% of smartphone owners use a general purpose messaging app. 

• WhatApps or Kik• 24% use messaging apps that automatically delete sent messages.

• Snapchat or Wickr• 10 billion Snaps sent Mary 2015 – May 2016 

• 5% use apps that allow people to anonymously chat or post comments.

• YikYak or Whisper.• Popular among younger smartphone owners. 

• 56% of users are 18 – 29 years old • 13% of users are 30 – 49 years old 

Sources: http://www.pewinternet.org/2016/11/11/social‐media‐update‐2016/; http://mediakix.com/2016/01/snapchat‐statistics‐2016‐marketers‐need‐to‐know/#gs.QeXmzos

Sexting, sexual harassment, and online discriminationSome of the typical scenarios include: 

• Virtual harassment• Textual harassment• Sexting• Cyber stalking

Sexting, sexual harassment, and online discrimination‐ The good.  Amira Jabbar v. Travel Services (2010): Employer tookprompt, remedial action to address and prevent allegedharassment.

‐ The bad.  Espinoza v. County of Orange (2012): Employer investigated allegations of disability harassment, but took two months to totally block access to the blog where the employee was being harassed.

‐ The ugly.  EEOC v. Fry's Electronics, Inc. (2012): Company fired manager who reported sexting harassment complaint of hourly employee.  

Electronics in Employment 

GPS Cell phones Video and other recording in the workplace  Distracted driving

Dangers of Mobile Technology: Device theft Personal data v. business

data Shared devices (family,

friends, neighbors…) Unsecure public hotspots

Data Security

Data Security

1. Minimize local data storage on the device.

2. Protect data that is stored locally.

3. Protect the device physically.4. Plan for device loss or

employee termination.

Four Principles of Mobile Technology Security:

Digital Dilemmas for Current Employees:Solutions Take a team approach! Create appropriate policies and

procedures. Train on the company’s policy. Follow the company’s policy. Document, document, document! Be consistent.

Post‐employment dilemmas

Bring-your-own-device challenges

• Sexting, harassment and discrimination • Dilemmas related to the departing employee.

– Protecting confidential, proprietary or trade secret information.

– Removing company data from personal equipment.

• Dilemmas related to evidence preservation responsibilities.

Bring-your-own-device challengesA BYOD Conundrum: • Too Little Information:

– Not owning the device takes away a level of control– Less control over content

• To Much Information: Access to employees’ devices may mean employers have more information than they want– Private activities, e.g. sexting, pornography. – Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act concerns.

• E.g. Diabetes Management App

Wage and Hour Liability• Non‐exempt workers with devices presents 

problems (BYOD or not).• Universal Problems:

– Texting:• Managers texting non‐exempt employees about scheduling or before‐work errands

• Employees texting about tardies, changing schedules (How does this affect FMLA notice?)

Wage and Hour LiabilityBYOD problems:

– Non‐Exempt Employees with work email on personal devices may be more likely to continue to check emails/ work after they leave.• How do you distinguish when you are working versus not with your own device?

– Exempt employee on leave of absence may work on smartphone or tablet, accessing email and checking in on projects, etc.  • If employee does work for more than a de minimis amount of time –typically lasting longer than a couple minutes – she may be entitled to an entire week’s pay. 

Post-employment dilemmas: Solutions

Take a team approach! Create appropriate policies and procedures. Train on the company’s policy. Follow the company’s policy. Document, document, document! Be consistent.

Questions?

Susan Bassford Wilson, Esq.swilson@constangy.com

314.925.7275Connect with me on LinkedIn or

follow me on Twitter @bassfordwilson