Disciplinary over Tweets - I need a hand hold

[BelgianFudge]

Does anyone have any experience of facing disciplinary over getting into a twitter spat? Nothing to do with the employer, but someone has sent screenshots to them and disciplinary action has been initiated.

Sorry for scant detail but I'm understandably worried about revealing much.

I suppose it depends on what he has said about BOJO? Not sure. But I'd say something like 'Brexit is such a bad idea' vs 'Boris is a fucking muppet who should be put in a loony bin' might be the difference between him getting fired or not. Surely you're allowed to air political opinion? What you're probably not allowed to do is to be abusive.

What a mess. He must be posting some seriously offensive stuff if he’s had his previous twitter account suspended, had someone stalk him and report him because of what he said, and his boss thinks it’s offensive. You sound like you’re underplaying things and excusing him at every angle - the other person had form for reporting people, his colleagues are as bad, now he’s mentally ill because of lockdown.. He isn’t a poor mentally ill person being harassed by colleagues and stalked at on the internet - he’s persisted in spouting his harsh views/way of expressing them without a thought. And now it’s coming back to bite him. He needs to grow up. I’m really sorry for what he’s dragging you through. He doesn’t deserve you and your support.

It's unlikely that he will (or should, anyway) get more than a slap on the wrist and a warning to be more careful in future. It's rather a tenuous link to the company and their reputation after all, and someone else has had to ferret out the information as part of the spat to get him into trouble. It's called doxxing.

It does sound like somebody has it in for him. Is he a civil servant or health worker. I don't think he'll get much more than a telling off if his comments are not either about highly sensitive stuff whistle blowing or racism anti gay and so on.

There is a 'right to be forgotten' by search engines. He could be researching how to get his personal information pulled from the internet. It looks like his company are going to take this seriously so he needs to find legal representation. Does he have a union or do you have any legal cover with your bank or mortgage provider, home insurance etc. He needs to take ownership of this situation and start looking for a way forwards, eg by writing a sincere apology for going beyond the limits of political discourse and removing any offending material.

Sounds like he knows he's been a dick but it also sounds like the employers are reaching with that allegation. Not employment law, but there's been quite an array of cases recently around there not being a right to not be offended - basically people have a right to say stuff and if it upsets you, tough luck (very shortened version and obviously caveats involved).

@Graciebobcat

It's unlikely that he will (or should, anyway) get more than a slap on the wrist and a warning to be more careful in future. It's rather a tenuous link to the company and their reputation after all, and someone else has had to ferret out the information as part of the spat to get him into trouble. It's called doxxing.

But OP says he had people from his company following him. So he's made no effort at all to separate his social media from his company. That's bound to run into trouble.

I doubt he will give up social media so in future he needs to be properly anonymous.

Honestly, if it’s enough to get banned from Twitter, it’s not “airing political opinions”, it’s being downright offensive. I’d guess it’s more along the lines of calling leave voters, Tory voters, rude names (hence any colleagues could feel it was directed at them). I’ve blocked friends for similar, though I wouldn’t attempt to get them in trouble.

The risk is, it comes across as he’s very sorry that he got caught. I’m afraid he’s coming across as a risk - he’s had two previous warnings (one from work, one from Twitter) which were opportunities to stop. He sounds like a total liability, and that’s what they’ll be worried about. Not just what he’s done, but what he’s likely to do in the future.

I suggest he and his union rep get to know both the social media and disciplinary policies inside out.

Blimey. I've not worked in the UK since 2013. It now seems we're firmly in 1984 though. How on earth did we get to the state of possibility losing our jobs for airing our own political views on our personal social media accounts? Fucking hell.

I don't think it sounds like somebody "has it in for him" at all.
He's had an old Twitter account suspended, his new one he's in trouble with work as been getting into "arguments", and has form on FB too?!
Yes, definitely sounds like you're minimising and downplaying.
If his work has been mentioned in posts (even if just a tag on something innocuous) then I'm not surprised they're getting involved as most companies have a social media policy.

Sounds like his employers are sick of him and are hoping they've found a way to get rid. Although he hasn't directly brought them into disrepute they probably think he's a bit of a liability.

This thread is exactly why I do not use or engage with social media. Never have, never will.

I post on a very small number of forums, including MN (obv) using accounts created with burner email addresses set up and used solely for that purpose and unconnected with my real identity in any way.

There is a 'right to be forgotten' by search engines.

You have to meet criteria. The data controller has to balance the privacy rights of the individual with the interest of the general public to have access to the information, plus the right of others to have freedom of speech and distribute information.

It’s not as simple as asking Google to forget him... and he’d also then need to not do anything that created an online presence. No LinkedIn or other social media, no being mentioned on the company website, no PR, etc.

If the request is approved, the webmaster of the URLs requested will be contacted and told, so they can update the pages or appeal the removal.

And it only covers searches that come up when your legal name is served (including maiden name where relevant).

It’s not a get-out for cases like this. It might work, but it’s not fast or straight forward.

This recent case might be useful in looking at how judges make decisions about twitter stuff, and based on this outcome it would suggest that at the very least the harassment claim won't go anywhere unless your DH actually directly tagged etc his colleagues.

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Scottow-v-CPS-judgment-161220.pdf

This is quite a drip feed OP. Just to be clear:

• he is in a long running situation of feeling bullied by his boss
• his boss has misrepresented some of their past interactions when it suits them to do so, in a way which makes your husband look like a longrunning troublemaker
• in the past he was told to take down Facebook posts by his boss because of the views he expressed and the fact that he was publicly linked to the company
• he had a previous Twitter account where he posted much the same thing
• now he has a new Twitter account in which he posts milder things but is more identifiable
• he has publicly tagged his employer in past tweets
• someone he was rude to on Twitter flagged his posts to his employer
• employer also has screenshots from previous Twitter account
• now he faces a disciplinary

Is that everything, or is there further background that we should know about here?

Going on the basis of that summary I would say he’s in a bad position. He’s already been told to take down social media content once so he can’t ask for a second chance because he’s had it. His manager doesn’t sound well disposed towards him and has a track record of misrepresenting their interactions when it suits. They have copies not just of this most recent tweet but also of previous heated material he posted AFTER he was told to take material down from Facebook.

@LonnyVonnyWilsonFrickett

If he is in any type of work disciplinary or grievance it is very likely that work need to tell him the substance of the complaint so he can prepare for the hearing/his defence. If they don't follow process or policy he has grounds for appeal or can even launch his own grievance. If it was serious, it could also lead to grounds for an unfair dismissal claim.

So I find it very odd that he doesn't know what this is about. He needs to get hold of the policy and make sure his organisation is following the steps, and keep evidence if they are not.

Was just about the post the same. He should speak to his union about this and must also ask to be accompanied by a union rep at the hearing.

Hi! Not sure how useful but when I was at my student job (three years ago) I worked in hospitality with a lot of other students. Everyone was young and woke and voiced very strong opinions online.

We did have a social media policy that basically said we represented the company online blah blah, probably similar to your DH’s. Over my three years there I saw quite a few sacked for things they’d put on social media. Only one of them was related to an employee argument where they had bullied a colleague online and the rest were similar to your DH and had been reported by someone else to the company. IME they do take these things very seriously as they don’t want to be associated with what an employee posts online.

I know for definite one of the girls fired was fired due to ‘harassment’ as she was a vegan and held very strong views, posted animals being slaughtered, often got into arguments with people online for murdering animals etc you get the jist. Someone reported an argument she had in the Facebook comments of a companies post and she had our company listed as a job on her Facebook page, she was accused of harassment and lost her job.

However I’m pretty sure when they give you all of your disciplinary paperwork they have to give you the potential outcome? Ie level two working/dismissal

Are any of his colleagues Brexiters? Is that what the harassment allegation is about?

I would say it’s most likely that someone at work has been watching his social media for quite some time and taking screenshots. Probably someone who disagrees with his political views.

Oh yes and another fact which is probably relevant: he works on a government contract!

He was warned last year that his Facebook had some offensive posts (yes, he has form for airing his political views). His boss told him to either take down the posts, or remove any link to his employer. So he removed the link.

The fact that he's already had a warning for his online behaviour, makes a huge difference I'm afraid. Even without them knowing about the suspended account, or demonstrates that he knew exactly what risk he was taking.

Honestly, it does sound as though his comments in general are much more than robust debate. They have to have been objectionable and abusive for Twitter to have suspended that other account, for starters.

I'm sorry OP. It really doesn't look good for him at this point.

@Iwillnotbemoved

I suppose it depends on what he has said about BOJO? Not sure. But I'd say something like 'Brexit is such a bad idea' vs 'Boris is a fucking muppet who should be put in a loony bin' might be the difference between him getting fired or not. Surely you're allowed to air political opinion? What you're probably not allowed to do is to be abusive.

Yeah it is more along the lines of the latter. His language has been offensive.

I disagree that posts have to be really offensive for twitter to ban an account. Plenty of people have been banned or suspended for unfathomable reasons.

However in your DH case it sounds like it's not even so much as what he is saying online as to a prolonged and persistent tirade of abuse.

Saying it's his "outlet" because he is struggling with his mental health doesn't wash. What about those on the receiving end of his rants?

I'd seriously advise him to use his time online more wisely and look for another job ASAP or else learn new skills/volunteer for a charity/get a hobby. Sorry OP it must be very frustrating for you to have to deal with this.

hes been warned before so this really doesnt look good for him

also and sorry if ive misread if youre suspended from twitter indefinitely youre not supposed to just start another account like nothing happned or katie hopkins and trump would have done it

[quote ViperAtTheGatesOfDawn]This recent case might be useful in looking at how judges make decisions about twitter stuff, and based on this outcome it would suggest that at the very least the harassment claim won't go anywhere unless your DH actually directly tagged etc his colleagues.

www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Scottow-v-CPS-judgment-161220.pdf[/quote]
Thank you for that link - that is useful.

No, DH has never tagged any of his colleagues, his Twitter behaviour has never been directed at them.