Top

When to Fire an Employee at the Center of a Social Media Scandal

While going viral can be a boon for business, it can also lead to nightmarish PR disasters. Take for example the recent United Airlines scandal where a passenger was dragged off the plane. The incident made national news headlines for weeks and likely cost United quite a bit of business. Unfortunately, there was no scapegoat that United could point at to blame. But clearly, when an employee’s on-duty conduct causes a public scandal, an employer will be justified in issuing an immediate termination.

When a single employee, or group of employees, end up going viral for all the wrong reasons, even if it involves off-duty conduct, not even remotely related to their job, an employer may need to sever ties to keep the company’s reputation intact.

Read More on FindLaw