Facing the music with facebook...

Teenage office worker sacked for branding her job boring on Facebook
By Daily Mail Reporter
26th February 2009

A teenage office worker was hauled into her manager's office and told she was fired after branding her job 'boring' on Facebook.

Kimberely Swann, 16, from Clacton, Essex, was working as an office administrator at Ivell Marketing & Logistics in the town.

Bosses handed her a letter telling her they were ending her employment 'with immediate effect'.

Kimberely Swann, 16, claims she was sacked after posting that her job at Ivell Marketing & Logistics was 'boring' on her Facebook page

It read: 'Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work, we end you employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect.'

Miss Swann said: 'I did not even put the company's name, I just put that my job was boring.

'They were just being nosy, going through everything. I think it is really sad, it makes them look stupid that they are going to be so petty.

'I was an office administrator so of course it was boring at first and I knew it would get more interesting.

'I was happy there, although they said I wasn't.

'It is not fair. I think it is really out of order but there is nothing I can do.'

Her mother Janette Swann added: 'I think it's disgusting. The company did not even approach her and ask her to explain herself.
'It is not nice to look back on Facebook and report something that is personal. It should not be allowed.'

But Stephen Ivell, owner of Ivell Marketing & Logistics, said the company had done everything by the book.

He said: 'Ivell Marketing is small close-knit family company and it is very important that all the staff work together in harmony.
'Miss Swan made comments about her job and the company on Facebook and then invited other staff members to read her comments.

'Had Miss Swan put up a poster on the staff notice board making the same comments and invited other staff to read it there would have been the same result.

'Miss Swan had only been with the company three weeks. We were looking for a long term relationship with Miss Swan as we do with all our staff.

'Her display of disrespect and dissatisfaction undermined the relationship and made it untenable.

'We all liked Miss Swan but she was clearly unhappy with the company.

'We thought that Miss Swan's best interests would be served by working for a company that would more suit her expectations.

'It is unfortunate that we didn't come up to Miss Swan’s expectations on this occasion and we wish her every success in future.'
He added he was unable to comment on whether Miss Swann had been involved in the decision-making process.

Union leaders have slammed the decision to 'snoop' on employees' personal conversations and said companies should grow thicker skins.

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: 'Most employers wouldn't dream of following their staff down the pub to see if they were sounding off about work to their friends.

'Just because snooping on personal conversations is possible these days, it doesn't make it healthy.

'Employees need to be aware of how they protect their privacy online and employers need to recognise they employ real people, not robots and should grow slightly thicker skins.

'Employers and employees need to sit down together, through unions or other consultations, and work out a reasonable policy on what is expected of staff in their conduct online.'