Internet Disparagement: Protecting Your Reputation When a Disgruntled Employee Trashes Your Company Online

Please join us for the next edition of Third Thursday - Crowell & Moring’s Employment Law Update, a webinar series dedicated to helping businesses stay on top of developing law and emerging compliance issues.

 

In the Internet age, employers face new challenges when employees post disparaging (and possibly unlawful) material about the company online. Employees may mask their identities behind the anonymity of the internet. It is difficult (but not always impossible) to unmask them. But unmasking employees to pursue legal action against them may not be the best strategy. The First Amendment can protect anonymous speech. When employees disparage or defame the company online, they are often protected by a variety of federal and state laws that can limit the company’s legal options. And, as suggested by the recent “Google manifesto,” companies must address other considerations when employees post material online that may require the employer to take disciplinary action against the employee.

 

Employee internet attacks on your company’s reputation require quick thinking and a game plan. Our webinar will explore key issues in this area, including:

• Steps for responding to anonymous internet disparagement,
• The impact of employment law whistleblower protections,
• Employer obligations under anti-harassment and related laws,
• State free speech laws,
• The role of post-employment covenants,
• The First Amendment and anonymous speech, and
• NLRA protections for employees’ internet speech.

This webinar is scheduled for Thursday, September 28, at 12:00 p.m. Eastern. We hope that you can join us and participate in a lively discussion of these issues by our panel of Crowell & Moring lawyers with particular experience in these issues.