HR Industry News

Argos worker sacked over Facebook slur

— 10 August 2007 —

An Argos employee has been sacked after making negative comments about his employer on the social networking site Facebook.

Tom Beech was first suspended and then sacked for gross misconduct for posting a negative comment about the company on a social networking site.

Beech was interviewed by The Sun newspaper, commenting, “I’m stunned they’ve fired me for this. I had a really bad day... My mistake was to sound off on Facebook. I wish I’d moaned at a mate.”

Employee screening companies are warning against employees and potential employees using the social networking site, claiming that it will harm their career prospects.

Users of these networking sites don’t seem to be giving sufficient consideration to the fact that messages written in jest, criticism of current or previous employers, images of their weekend activities and their personal interests are in the public domain and can be easily accessed at the touch of a button, throwing their career prospects into turmoil.Steve Bailey, Managing Director of backgroundchecking.com

The Recruitment Employment Confederation recently published a report claiming that an “internet footprint” could lead employers open to charges of discrimination.

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