Comments on: He bashed his employer online — should he have been fired?

By: R. B.

R. B. — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:05:45 +0000

It wasn’t illegal, but I think it was a bit over the top unless there are other factors involved. If every employee who griped about their employer was terminated, almost no one would have a job. I do think it was disrespectful to post it the way he did and that he wasn’t using very good sense. But from what I’ve read about this, he was a very good employee otherwise and this one lapse of judgment seems fairly minor overall. Maybe I’ve grown thick-skinned from listening to employees complain about everything under the sun and that’s why this doesn’t seem like that big of a deal to me. But I would have given him a written warning, especially considering his apology, admitting he was wrong and the immediate removal of the comment from the site (from what I understand, it was removed before anyone had reacted).

By: mike R

mike R — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:14:51 +0000

If employment is “at will” an employee’s employment can be terminated for ANY reason provided it isn’t unlawfully discriminatory or retaliatory for exercising rights protected under any whistleblower or civil rights laws.

This person’s lack of self control calls to question his judgement and could have financial repercussions on the ball club franchise. If management can not TRUST this person to exercise self control and judgement, then severing employment ties is prudent.

By: Paul says

Paul says — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 18:00:52 +0000

Sounds like there is more to this story than what information was given. Dan Leone could have had previous warnings about his inappropriate behavior. For all we know this could be one of many infractions that Mr. Leone has had over the years and this was the final straw. You don’t bite the hand that feeds you.

By: John

John — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 02:06:52 +0000

This may have been an over-reaction but it was not illegal. Griping does not enjoy exclusion to seclusion if that griping is viewable on a social forum and violates trust and the peace of an organization. Where-as public employees have some protected speech rights private employees do not. Protected speech is about matters of public policy or concern. He had freeness of speech to gripe but he was not protected from his indiscretion.

By: J

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 14:55:11 +0000

until he got to the “retarded” comment, i think he was okay in what he was saying. but seriously, you can’t slag the company publicly and not expect them to be upset…