Imagine this situation: An employee comes to you because she’s insulted by a co-worker’s blog. The blogger writes about work, without using names, but it’s obvious to the employee who she is talking about –  and she doesn’t have nice things to say. What should you do?

As blogging becomes more popular, it’s likely there are at least a few people at your company who’ve taken up the hobby. Most employees’ blogs are harmless — but occasionally, they’ll write about work. That’s where the trouble starts.

In the case of an insulted co-worker, here are some things to keep in mind when deciding how to respond:

• Harassment rules still apply. An employee’s blog can create a “hostile work environment” just like any other type of communication between employees, managers and co-workers.
• You can forbid employees from blogging about the company, especially when there are insults involved, or confidential information might be leaked.

That said, there are some things you can’t keep employees from writing. The National Labor Relations Act gives employees the right to discuss their salaries and working conditions.

In one recent court case, an employee sued after he was punished for criticizing company management in his blog. The court ruled against the company, deciding that the blog was protected speech under the NLRA (Cite: Konop v. Hawaiian Airlines, Inc.).

Have you ever gotten complaints about a co-worker’s personal blog? How did you handle it? What would you do if you did get a complaint like that? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tags: blog, harassment, insult, National Labor Relations Act