Social Media in the Workplace: Danger or Opportunity?

The importance of addressing social media issues in the workplace cannot be overstated in today's digital age. It's a lot more than just "sexting." or visiting inappropriate websites! 

• Do you have a social media policy? Are employees aware of it and have they been trained in its proper application? 
• Is your social media policy aligned with all your other policies and/or collective bargaining agreement(s), the National Labor Relations Act (Section 7 Rights, etc.) and/or your state and local labor and employment laws, and the Federal Trade Commission's regulations?  
• Does your social media policy protect individual rights regarding confidentiality and the First Amendment right to Freedom of Speech? 
• If you recruit using social media, are you in compliance with the Fair Credit and Reporting Act? Does it protect copyrights, trademarks, intellectual property, and trade secrets? 
• Are your "take down" protocols adequate? Who owns an employee's social media account(s) and what happens when they exit the organization?

If you don’t know the answers to at least these fundamental questions then this webinar is for you, so your social media policy protects your organization, its employees, and all stakeholders.

Does your social media or other policies require employees to; be respectful; not release confidential information; not engage in threats; communicate professionally; and/or be fair and courteous? Although these certainly look innocent enough, and regardless of whether you do or don’t have a social media Policy these probably exist in some fashion within your expectations for employees. However, the problem is that all 5 of these would likely regardless of if there is a Union or not, based on National Labor Relations Board guidance for Social Media policies be ruled as Unfair Labor Practices or unlawful.  Plus, when you consider that all it takes is just 1 similar misstep with your social media policy to also violate the Fair Credit Reporting Act, Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations, State Attorney General’s Office or local ordinances, and several privacy laws it makes attending this webinar mandatory for future compliance of your workplace.

• Defining the many types and uses of social media.
• The significance of implementing a comprehensive social media policy.
• Ensuring alignment between your social media policy, other organizational policies, and legal requirements
• Analyzing the impact of social media in both unionized and non-unionized, public, and private sector workplaces.
• Navigating the intersection of social media with various legal frameworks, including:
  • 1st Amendment (freedom of speech). 
  • National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
  • Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).
  • Copyrights, trademarks, and trade secrets.
  • Right of Publicity.
• Deciding between plain language and legal formats for crafting your social media policy.
• Blog moderation policies.
• State statutes.
• Social media account passwords.
• Recruiting with social media.
• Digital legacy (who owns the social media account and its content).
• Establishing protocols for content takedown requests
• Implementing monitoring strategies for both your social media policy and organizational social media activities.
• Q & A Session

Addressing social media issues in the workplace is crucial for maintaining brand reputation, legal compliance, data security, productivity, employee relations, recruitment efforts, and overall organizational success. This topic will dive into the pros and cons of using social media in the workplace and best practices for using social media safely and effectively. Organizations can effectively manage social media usage and mitigate associated risks by establishing clear policies and guidelines.