After Facebook rant, Manatee County suspends deputy for three days

From ABCActionNews.com

Plenty of businesses have social media policies. But just because you are not aware of them, experts say ignorance -- as in this case -- is not a valid excuse.

Manatee County Sheriff's deputy Gerald Kall was driving his family's only car when he collided with another deputy -- a sergeant, his superior.

According to a report, Deputy Kall got 'stressed' and angry about the way the accident was handled and took his emotions out on Facebook, calling his colleague expletive names, thereby violating the office's social media policy. He was suspended for three days.

"You do it at your own peril," said legal analyst Joe Episcopo. "He's a deputy. He agreed that he wouldn't do that when he took the job."

Deputy Kall's three-day suspension is a lesson, experts say, for everyone with a computer.

"People feel like there's this shroud of protection or security when they're sitting behind a computer screen," said Visual Alliance Media CEO Derek Lee.

Visual Alliance Media teaches businesses how to handle social media policies.

Because each business' policy may be different, they advise employers to be clear about the rules and employees to learn and follow them.

"If you wouldn't say it to your employer's face, you probably don't want to put it on social media," Lee said. "Once you say it, it's out there."

Some argue Facebook and other social media sites should serve as a First Amendment right, but according to Episcopo, the First Amendment doesn't mean you can say whatever you want.

"Insubordination is a basis to be fired. So, if you're going to be insubordinate to your employer publicly, you may risk your job," Episcopo said.

Deputy Kall kept his job and is back at work, but according to the report, he regrets what he wrote.

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