Legal action over employee use of social media mounts

The Wall Street Journal Analysis January 21, 2011 By Jeanette Borzo When companies dismiss employees for what they consider harmful use of social media, the dismissals can backfire on the companies involving them in expensive lawsuits and damaging their reputations. -db

Federal judge dismisses free speech challenge to Oregon workplace-meetings law

A U.S. district judge dismissed a lawsuit arguing that a workplace-meetings law violates free speech. The law was passed to protect workers from employer attempts to impose religious or political views on them. -db First Amendment Center May 11, 2010 By William McCall PORTLAND, Ore. (AP)— A federal judge has dismissed a challenge to the [...]

Free speech in the workplace: Former editor wins legal fees

An arbitrator refused to award damages but did require the payment of over $900,000 in legal fees and arbitration costs to a former Santa Barbara News Press editor who was fighting claims by his employer Ampersand Publishing that he violated his contract by talking about the owner’s interference in the news room. -db The Los [...]

Appeals court rules that police officers’ complaints not protected speech

In a split decision, a federal appeals court ruled that officers’ complaints about a superior’s conduct were not a public concern and therefore not protected speech. The dissenting judge said the officers had a right to voice their complaints since they addressed the performance, functioning and mismanagement of a public agency. -DB Metropolitan News-Enterprise July 14, [...]