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stepping_up_IHB

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My boss asked us all to become members of linked in. I thought it was kind of a neat site and signed up. Shortly after we all created our accounts he dictated that we had to hide our connections. Initially I thought no problem. But then, I have had a few of my connections tell me that this is rude. Frankly, I agree with them and think I should be able to have my connections viewable by the people I am connected to.



Initially my linked in page was something the ceo told us to create, but now I feel that it is really my page, so this evening I opted to remove my colleagues from my network in the mode that they will not be notified and opened up my connections for my connections to view. Am I safe? What if I wanted to put something in my status that says I'm currently looking for new opportunities, would my company be able to see this?
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258732406]My boss asked us all to become members of linked in. I thought it was kind of a neat site and signed up. Shortly after we all created our accounts he dictated that we had to hide our connections. Initially I thought no problem. But then, I have had a few of my connections tell me that this is rude. Frankly, I agree with them and think I should be able to have my connections viewable by the people I am connected to.



Initially my linked in page was something the ceo told us to create, but now I feel that it is really my page, so this evening I opted to remove my colleagues from my network in the mode that they will not be notified and opened up my connections for my connections to view. Am I safe? What if I wanted to put something in my status that says I'm currently looking for new opportunities, would my company be able to see this?</blockquote>


Don't make that kind of information public unless you are ready to seek new opportunities... immediately. It's your page and he doesn't have a legal right to tell you what to do with it but anything an employer finds online is just as actionable as if you were shouting it on a street corner. Having it known, directly visible or otherwise, that you are looking for a new job is just inviting sudden unemployment.
 
[quote author="Nude" date=1258732999][quote author="stepping_up" date=1258732406]My boss asked us all to become members of linked in. I thought it was kind of a neat site and signed up. Shortly after we all created our accounts he dictated that we had to hide our connections. Initially I thought no problem. But then, I have had a few of my connections tell me that this is rude. Frankly, I agree with them and think I should be able to have my connections viewable by the people I am connected to.



Initially my linked in page was something the ceo told us to create, but now I feel that it is really my page, so this evening I opted to remove my colleagues from my network in the mode that they will not be notified and opened up my connections for my connections to view. Am I safe? What if I wanted to put something in my status that says I'm currently looking for new opportunities, would my company be able to see this?</blockquote>


Don't make that kind of information public unless you are ready to seek new opportunities... immediately. It's your page and he doesn't have a legal right to tell you what to do with it but anything an employer finds online is just as actionable as if you were shouting it on a street corner. Having it known, directly visible or otherwise, that you are looking for a new job is just inviting sudden unemployment.</blockquote>


Thanks Nude. I kind of figured that was the case. I'm just in such a dilemna as I don't know how to communicate to people I know that I'm really open to discussing other opportunities without it getting around, at least getting around to my company.



Am I safe with at least removing them from my contacts in the mode that says it will not no notify them that I have removed them from my contacts?
 
[quote author="stepping_up" date=1258733492][quote author="Nude" date=1258732999][quote author="stepping_up" date=1258732406]My boss asked us all to become members of linked in. I thought it was kind of a neat site and signed up. Shortly after we all created our accounts he dictated that we had to hide our connections. Initially I thought no problem. But then, I have had a few of my connections tell me that this is rude. Frankly, I agree with them and think I should be able to have my connections viewable by the people I am connected to.



Initially my linked in page was something the ceo told us to create, but now I feel that it is really my page, so this evening I opted to remove my colleagues from my network in the mode that they will not be notified and opened up my connections for my connections to view. Am I safe? What if I wanted to put something in my status that says I'm currently looking for new opportunities, would my company be able to see this?</blockquote>


Don't make that kind of information public unless you are ready to seek new opportunities... immediately. It's your page and he doesn't have a legal right to tell you what to do with it but anything an employer finds online is just as actionable as if you were shouting it on a street corner. Having it known, directly visible or otherwise, that you are looking for a new job is just inviting sudden unemployment.</blockquote>


Thanks Nude. I kind of figured that was the case. I'm just in such a dilemna as I don't know how to communicate to people I know that I'm really open to discussing other opportunities without it getting around, at least getting around to my company.



Am I safe with at least removing them from my contacts in the mode that says it will not no notify them that I have removed them from my contacts?</blockquote>


I wish I could answer that but I deleted my account when my retirement became permanent. If it specifically says they will be removed without any notification on their end, you should be fine.



It's my experience, and advice, that when looking for a new job on the down low, going to lunch with the person you want to hire you is safer than email or phone. That way you can discuss things informally, let them know you're open to a change, and also get a feeling for their future plans. No use asking for a job if the person spends 20 minutes talking about the next round of job cuts. LinkedIn is a great site for professional networking and keeping track of former team members in a large organization with frequent re-orgs (like Microsoft or Deloitte or Pimco), but the best networking tool is still face to face social contact.
 
And don't forget that with most social networking sites, you can unfriend someone. They don't even get an email about it, so usually don't notice. So you can create your page, let your boss see that you have it, unfriend him and others, and carry on.
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1258774130]I wouldnt rush in saying that your boss has no legal right to tell you what to do. That might be a misleading statement. Hell, they can tell you anything they want. Chances are, you're an at-will employee. As such, sure - you are free to ignore your boss all you want. But dont be surprised if they fire you - they dont need a reason.



Think about it. If my secretary had a facebook account with all kinds of scantily clad and inappropriate pictures, while also noting that she worked for me/my company, I would not hesitate to tell her to make it private or she might be jeopardizing her job. I cannot LEGALLY make her take her site down (unless, of course, you start running into TROs for libel, etc), but I can sure as hell give <strong>instructions </strong>for her to <em>either </em>follow or ignore... with consequences. Your situation is a bit less explicit, but I hope you get what I am saying.



Only you know your actual work situation and the climate and relative seriousness of these requests. Use your best judgment when defying the boss and check with a competent employment law attorney if you are really worried about this.</blockquote>


It would be worth the student loan debt to be able to argue that case. It's not part of the job description or job duties to maintain a "professional" profile on an unrelated website. Unless she actually works for LinkedIn, her profile's contents or lack thereof can't be a contingency of her continued employment any more than a demand that she only drink at a certain bar or drive a certain color car.



I know you're a lawyer and your personal inclination is to take the opposing side in an argument, but honestly... which side would you rather take in a termination lawsuit based on the contents of a LinkedIn profile?
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1258785918]I would love to see some kind of legislation protecting personal social networking, but that wasn't my point. I am just saying that you shouldn't defy your boss under the illusion that you have some legal protection, where none presently exists. Defy because you think its the right thing to do while knowing the risks.</blockquote>


You really do argue just for the hell of it, don't you?



I said "It?s your page and <em>he doesn?t have a legal right to tell you what to do with it</em> <strong>but anything an employer finds online is just as actionable as if you were shouting it on a street corner</strong>", which seems to be the same as "<em>cannot LEGALLY make her take her site down</em> (unless, of course, you start running into TROs for libel, etc), but I <strong>can sure as hell give instructions for her to either follow or ignore? with consequences</strong>". In fact, I told her to expect to be fired... twice.



I never said he had no right to tell her what to do in specific circumstance or even in general, but only with regards to this specific site. You then acknowledged that I was correct in the midst of erecting some strawman argument that you proceeded to knock down. Are you taking issue with my words because I didn't use your terminology, because there is some substantial factual error rather than a difference in semantics, or because you had no where else to stick your strawman today?
 
[quote author="MojoJD" date=1258796539]No. I legitimately misread your post and, upon re-reading, retract my statements to the extent that they implied that your advice was not sound. Its Friday.</blockquote>


I'd buy you a 5-pack if I lived closer ;)
 
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