The theme of today’s catch-my-eye stories seems to be employment (that, and my growing penchant for the Huffington Post–brevity is undervalued in our society). More specifically, what can cause you to lose it and what you can do to find it. In an economy like this one, it never hurts to be too informed.
We all knew it was coming, but the head honchos in Washington are finally saying something about it: what you post on Facebook can get you fired. The National Labor Relations Board is choosing to hear claims from workers who have gotten themselves into this type of trouble. Any guidelines regarding what Facebook activity constitutes legitimate grounds for termination are naturally still in their infancy, so it’s difficult to tell what the NLRB’s findings will mean for most of us. The term “concerted activity” seems to be the buzzword, but from what I read, what distinguishes a successful claim from an unsuccessful one (with regard to the worker, anyway) is murky, to say the least. (Concerted activity is protected. Have fun defining that one.) For now, though, it’s safe to assume that posting anything derogatory about the company you work for is a bad idea, especially if you reference the company by name. The advice may seem draconian, but you at least won’t have to explain to your next employer how social media was your downfall.
In other news, more signs that the economy is still in “recovery.” Young lawyers are seeking job opportunities outside the legal market, partially because the number of high-paying jobs for practicing attorneys has diminished and partially because they grew tired of the 80-hour weeks. One even started a dog-walking business. (She entered law school knowing she was making the wrong choice, though–not so sure how this example is particularly helpful for anyone, considering she chose the wrong career to begin with.) While I’m all for entrepreneurship, I’m still hoping the economy and the legal market will turn around once I graduate three years from now–ask anyone who went to law school, but most of us didn’t spend exorbitant amounts of money to work at jobs we could have gotten without law degrees. This reality is great incentive to start hatching a Plan B, though (journalism has always been mine, by the way…maybe it’s time to look into becoming one of those legal analysts for a news network…). I’ll get back to you when I’ve found one…or become a better hustler.
Suit Yourself 