What if I told you that I got fired because I liked a Facebook page? You probably won’t believe me, and yes, I couldn’t believe it at first either. But there are actual cases like that happening in real life.
I stumbled upon an article on the Internet about a man getting fired because he clicked the ‘like’ button on the Facebook page of his boss’ rival candidate. B.J. Roberts, the sheriff of Hampton, who allegedly fired his employee over the Facebook ‘like’, has seen his employee’s action as a show of support for his political opponent.
For this reason, the judges of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Richmond, VA, have decided that people who show political support online should have the same protection as those who show political support through real-life actions.
I think B.J. Roberts may have been offended over the fact that his own staff is vouching for his adversary to win the city sheriff election, and I don’t blame him. He probably only reacted the way the CEO of Coke would react if you show him you’re drinking Pepsi. It’s an act that can be interpreted as disrespectful. Personal political inclinations, however, should also be taken with respect. He should have kept in mind that choosing who to vote for in the elections is his employees’ choice to make, not his.
