The Perils of Posting: Court Cases on Off-Duty Social Media Conduct of Public Employees [Hardcover]

In recent years, there has been an increase of public employees being fired for inappropriate behavior on social media. This research explores social media conduct of public employees that have been adjudicated through the federal and state court systems. The arguments of these cases are based upon the question of an employee's first amendment rights versus the rights of the employer to maintain a desired work environment. The research found that widespread negative publicity, disruption of close working relationships, inappropriate and offensive employees comments led to favorable outcomes for the public employers. In contrast, when an employee posts on social media while off-duty as a private citizen, the employer has not cited any disruption and the comments are not personal attacks against employers but have substantial public concerns led to positive outcomes for the public employee.

Paul Douglas Footeis associate professor of political science at Murray State University.

James R. Harringtonis associate professor of public and nonprofit management at the University of Texas at Dallas.

John McCaskill Jr. is clinical professor of public and nonprofit management at the University of Texas at Dallas.

The use of social media by the public has exploded in recent years, calling into question issues of free speech and its possible limits. This important and timely contribution examines the rights of public sector employees and the responsibilities of public organizations to the public within the context of social media and their rights and responsibilities. Using case studies and major court cases, the authors shed important new light on this timely issue. Scholars concerned with public sector personnel policies and public sector professionals will find this volume to be an invaluable contribution. Elliot Euel, University of Texas at Dallas

Social media has dramatically changed the way that people communicatelÓ(