Diane Sawyer of ABC just had a clip about 4 people getting fired by their employer for gossiping about something that was not true. Here is the video from AOL.
What do you think? Do employers have the right to protect their image and reputation? Do people have the right to gossip and spread false rumors?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Gossiping is the most enjoyable form of passing free time at workplace. I did enjoy gossipping at my previous workplace. it is ok within the limits that it should not harm anybody.
People who harm other people through gossips should be fired!
No, people do not have a right to spread false rumors. It is called slander, and an employer can certainly fire someone for engaging in it.
No, Sam Sloan has no right to spread gossips and lies. He should have been removed from the board for this. Sam goes with his supporters and people who feed him confidential info.
I assume you have employment law in the USA, so you’re in a better position to know the answer than me.
On the face of it, I’d say that someone got fired for no good reason.
It all comes down to the details – everyone has shared private thoughts or opinions with others at sometime or another including work – the video didn’t go into too much but the key point seems to be that the four women were traced as the source of an untrue report that the city manager (presumably one of their bosses and or superior) was having an “inappropriate” relationship (i.e. an affair) with another employee. Is this a big deal – may not in some circumstances but it may open the manager up to criticism of nepotism/favoritism (see Wolfowitz at World Bank) and when the manager complained – the town council decided that this more than some idle chit chat. So it may be more that just “harmless” talk and while free speech is a defended right in the USA – it doesn’t apply to all speech at all times – an important but often overlook distinction.
Well there is gossip and then there’s rumor mongering. There’s “Bob looks tired today.”..”Yeah, I know, I think his wife has been ill.” This is pretty much harmless and should be tolerated. In a work environment this is probably as far as it should go too.
Spreading false rumors is definitely pernicious and should not be tolerated at all.
BTW, asking “Do people have the right to gossip and spread false rumors?” is like asking if you think people have the right to drive off without paying for the gas they just put in their fuel tank.
The term is `slander` as someone said before. If people are making up false statements about other people it is not right. Of course there should be some consequences for this type of action.
I agree that there should be consequences for such actions, but why not a formal warning before firing someone? I think the punishment should fit the crime, so to speak. It sounds to me like someone was kissing a bit of political hiney.
Could it be that the fill-in employee is paid more due to receiving no benefits package which is common in other fields of work? I have worked places where contract workers received 50% more but no medical, dental, life insurances.
From what I have read and seen, I don’t believe these 4 ladies “started” the rumor. There is a BIG difference. The Town Administrator should put on his “Big Boy” pants and do his job and run that community. Not everyone likes their boss..