Image via Complex Original
In his letter to future investors, Mark Zuckerberg wrote that he believed "a more open world is a better world because people with more information can make better decisions and have a greater impact. But what happens when people are too open? Facebook has become so commonplace to where employers have begun to monitor the network to make sure their employees aren't acting in a way that's detrimental to the company. It's become a controversial subject that continues to question our First Amendment and privacy rights.
A good number of Facebook users have already been given pink slips based on what they have posted. Some were sent to the unemployment line for venting about their jobs or posting harmless pictures from their vacation, while most were stupid enough to admit crimes and engage in racist rhetoric. Simply put, watch what you put on Facebook, or you'll end up like these people. Here is a look at 25 Facebook Posts That Have Gotten People Fired.
Bank Intern Snitches on Himself with Photo Evidence
Date: Nov. 11, 2007
Kevin Colvin thought he could pull a fast one on his manager while interning at Anglo Irish Bank. Colvin told his supervisor, Paul Davis, that he was going to miss work due to a "family emergency." Turns out that was just a front to hit up a Halloween party. Davis soon discovered as much after Colvin posted this questionable image on his Facebook page. Not only was he fired, but Davis attached the image to his reply and CC'd the entire office.
New England Patriot Cheerleader Posts Lewd and Racist Photo
Date: Nov. 5, 2008
What's the first thought that comes to mind when you hear a cheerleader has been fired for posting lewd pics? Nudity, right? Not this time. Former New England Patriots cheerleader, Caitlin Davis, didn't need to flash any tail to get fired from the NFL organization. Instead, she posted images of her defacing some random guy's face with a penis figure and the words 'I'm a Jew." Makes us wonder what the rest of the Patriots cheerleaders are like off the field.
New Employee Calls Job Boring
Date: Feb. 27, 2009
Kimberley Swann was fired for doing what most of us do on the daily on Facebook: bitch about the boredom of our 9-to-5. But how many people you know have done it after their first day on the job? On that fateful day, Swann's Facebook status read: "first day at work. omg (oh my God)!! So dull!!". The message found its way to upper management three weeks later and Swann was cut loose. Guess someone had to be the scapegoat.
Philadelphia Eagles Stadium Worker Calls Out Team
Date: April 5, 2009
Philadelphia Eagles stadium operations worker Dan Leone took it personal when the team let Brian Dawkins pursue the free agent market and signed with the Denver Broncos. Dude let loose on Facebook saying, "Dan is [expletive] devastated about Dawkins signing with Denver ... Dam Eagles R Retarted!!" Team officials sacked Leone by handing him his walking papers via phone call.
Teacher Fired for Drinking on Vacation...Seriously
Date: October 2009
Georgia high school teacher Ashely Payne posted pics of her vacation to Ireland and the Guinness Brewery. Posing with pint in hand, the local school board felt the images were enough ground to fire her. Payne said, "I was just doing what adults do and have drinks on vacation and being responsible about it." She went on to sue the district, with her case set for trial this fall.
Disgruntled Ambulance Worker Calls Boss a "Scumbag"
Date: Decemeber 2009
Ambulance worker Dawnmarie Souza was asked by a supervisor to look into a customer complaint about her performance. Heated over the request, the American Medical Response worker went on Facebook later on and labeled her boss a “dick” and a “scumbag.” Could she have been any more harsh? Being that Souza broke the company’s Internet policy on posting anything about AMR without permission, she was excused.
EMS Worker Fires Up Supervisors
Date: Feb. 26, 2010
Jason Brown created a three-minute animated video parodying his work environment and posted it on Facebook. The clip featured a doctor and a responder, which he described was a reenactment of “just general things that go on in the day-today [sic] business of us running calls within any fire department, any EMS.” Supervisors at Colleton County Fire-Rescue deemed the video “derogatory” and said Brown “displayed poor judgment.” Needless to say, that was his final alarm call.
Professor Seeks Hitman After School Shooting
Date: March 3, 2010
Just a few days after the Feb. 12 shooting at the University of Alabama, professor Gloria Gadsden of East Stroudsburg University stirred up controversy with her Facebook status asking, "Does anyone know where I can find a very discrete hitman? Yes, it's been that kind of day." The university took immediate action and terminated her.
Waitress Insults Customers
Date: May 17, 2010
Former Brixx Pizza waitress Ashley Johnson caught a fit when she felt shorted on a customer tip. A couple left $5 at her assigned station, provoking her to spazz on Facebook: “Thanks for eating at Brixx, you cheap piece of s— camper.” Brixx managers gave her a copy of the FB status and proceeded to fire her two days later. Johnson later said, "I lost my job because of a Facebook status. Even a week later, that’s still a lot to get your mind around.” Seriously?
Dispatcher Fired After Snitching on Herself
Date: May 24, 2010
Dana Kuchler was already on the verge of being fired, but when the West Allis, Wis. dispatcher made her personal drug problems public via Facebook, she sealed her fate. Kuchler had posted that she is "addicted to vicodin, adderall, quality marijuana, MD 20/20 grape and absinthe." Did therapy ever come to mind? Guess not. Her dismissal would follow.
Pittsburg Pirates Mascot Goes in on Team President
Date: June 19, 2010
Andrew Kurtz was hired to be one of 18 guys who took turns dressed up as the Pittsburgh Pirates Pierogi. That was short-lived as the stand-in mascot was dumped for going in on team president Frank Coonelly for extending the contracts of two players. "Coonelly extended the contracts of Russell and Huntington through the 2011 season. That means a 19-straight losing streak. Way to go Pirates," his post read. The bosses requested he turn in his costume.
Teacher Attacks Students & Parents
Date: Aug. 19, 2010
A teacher saying disparaging things about his or her students online isn’t breaking news. A teacher attacking both students and parents, is. Cohasset High School instructor June Talvitie-Siple did just that, calling her pupils “germ bags” and the parents “snobby” and “arrogant” on her wall. Didn’t take long before two parents informed the school and the superintendent was alerted, shooting an email while on vacation requesting for Talvitie-Siple’s resignation.
Cop Compromises DUI Checkpoint
Date: Sept. 23, 2010
What officer gets fired for warning people not to drink and drive? Just one and his name is Scott Chaloner. The cop offered some advise to intoxicated drivers hitting the road, posting on his Facebook page: "If you live in Alexander and you're drinking and driving, get yourself a designated driver. If you don't and you're out on the streets, you'll wish you had. just a word to the wise." Shannon Hills Police Chief Terry Mullenax claimed the message jeopardized a DUI checkpoint and was a violation of the department’s code of ethics. Badge taken, pink slip issued.
Perverted Teacher Hits on Students
Date: Oct. 18, 2010
Former High School for the Arts instructor, Chadwin Reynolds, engaged in a little underage perversion by sending friend requests to a few female students and leaving comments such as “This is sexy” on their photos. As you can see from his homepage, he didn’t shy away from sharing his sexual immorality, leaving tasteless punchlines on his wall: “I’m not a gynecologist, but I’ll take a look inside.” There was even word of Reynolds trying to persuade a student to go out with him. The Board of Ed. heard enough and sent him packing.
Temp Worker Calls CEO a "Complete Tool"
Date: Nov. 10, 2010
Former temp turned full-time employee Leila Goodman was incensed when she found out her company, Inmar Inc., would no longer allow overtime. So what was her initial reaction? To go off on the company and calling the CEO a “complete tool.” When asked about making the negative remarks, she replied by saying, “Yes, I had.” Goodman waived the white flag and found herself on the unemployment line with company attorneys stating her firing fell under insubordination.
Dallas Cop Brags About Fighting Orderly
Date: Feb. 27, 2011
“I threw my boot at him, Jerry Springer style, and nailed him in the face. It broke his glasses and cut his face and bruised it up real good!” That’s the description Senior Cpl. Cat Lafitte posted on Facebook to describe her fight with a hospital worker. It was also discovered that she referred to herself as an “Official Bum Roller” on her page, police slang for a cop who deals with the homeless. Classy. The Dallas police department dropped her and opened an investigation into the hospital incident.
Harlem Teacher Wants To Drown 5th Graders
Date: March 14, 2011
One day after a 12-year-old girl drowned during a school trip, Harlem teacher Christine Rubino enraged school officials and community activists with her tasteless Facebook comments. One read, "After today, I am thinking the beach sounds like a wonderful idea for my 5thgraders! I HATE THEIR GUTS!" One friend followed up by asking, "Wouldn't you throw a life jacket to little Kwami?" Her response: "Yes, I would not throw a life jacket in for a million!!" She was fired, but recently won her job back at Brooklyn Public School 203. The world we live in.
Bank Worker Leaks CEO's Salary
Date: April 6, 2011
Meet Stephanie Bon. The former human resources assistant at Lloyds Banking Group was so infuriated after finding out how much her new CEO, António Horta-Osório, was being paid yearly, she decided to divulge his salary on Facebook. "LBG's new CEO gets £4,000 an hour. I get £7. That's fair," read her post. That's $21 million a year. Bon cashed her final check shortly after.
Buckingham Palace Guard Disses The Dutchess
Date: April 27, 2011
Cameron Reilly didn't take kindly to the cold-shoulder treatment he received from Kate Middleton heading up to her wedding. So he bitched about it on Facebook. His words: "hur and william drove past me on friday n all a got was a shitty wave while she looked the opposite way from me, stupid stuck up cow am a not good enough for them! posh bitch am totally with u on this 1 who reely gives a f*** about hur." The Royal Couple took matters into their own hands.
Talk Show Host Gets Super Racist
Date: June 2, 2011
Attorney and fill-in radio personality Eric Deters pissed off conservatives after posting a video blog on his page promoting racist remarks. In short, he stated the following: “If you want to conquer an African nation, send white women and pot.” WLW 700AM kicked him to the curb and removed his blog from the station’s website. When asked why he was let go, he responded by saying, “If you want to know why I won’t be on the radio anymore, I don’t know. LOL.” We see him being that incompetent.
Apple Store Employee Takes Shots at Apple
Date: Nov. 1, 2011
A UK Apple Store employee named Crisp had not-so-nice things to say about the tech giant on Facebook. One co-worker and FB friend snitch showed the comments to his manager, resulting in his termination for misconduct. Crisp appealed the firing to a UK labor agency, stating his post was tagged private and could have been copied/pasted by anyone of his followers. Please tell us this guy didn't work at the Genius Bar.
Prison Guard Trashes Governor
Date: Jan. 19, 2012
Working for the state and attacking the governor is not such a great idea. Lebanon Correctional Institution prison guard Jessie Hubbard voiced his frustrations with Gov. John Kasich, writing comments like: “Ok we got Bin Laden ... let's go get Kasich next. Who's with me?" The prison terminated Hubbard for violating a conduct rule stating no employee could threaten or intimidate a member of the general public. Someone didn't read the employee handbook.
Racist Bartender Calls Patrons "Porch Monkeys"
Date: April 3, 2012
Jessica Elizabeth worked as a bartender at Chicago's Proof nightclub and couldn't take being harassed by men of a different race. So she vented on Facebook by threatening black people and labeling them "porch monkeys" and "apes." Her comments transformed into a thread, which caught the attention of manager Zoe Gainey, who responded with by saying: "Hey Hitler. This is in violation of your social media contract, please remove it ASAP." Elizabeth answered back with, "R U joking? I have a life outside of the club." Now she's celebrating her life outside of the club full time, unemployed that is.
Twin's Terminated After Calling Boss Lazy
Date: April 4, 2012
All Kasey and Joshua Griffith wanted was a few days off of work to grieve for the lost of their mom, who had died a few days back. When Joshua messaged his boss about taking some time off, he was denied. So the 27-year-old took to Facebook, calling his boss “lazy” for not covering his shift. He was told to take a hike from, and after his sister came to bat for him, she was let go. "She said there's the door, you know where it's at…she told me to get out too," said Kasey. Cold as ice.
Essence Magazine Managing Editor Fired for Controversial Views
Date: Apr. 23, 2012
Essence Magazine's white managing editor Michael Bullerdick (real name, no gimmick) was removed from his position at the storied Black woman's magazine after it came to light that his Facebook page, which was private, contained political views that were viewed as offensive. One posting was a cartoon which called Reverend Al Sharpton a "MSNBC Race Pimp". Another referred to President Barack Obama as a radical.The company released a statement saying, "By mutual agreement, Michael has accepted a position in another division."
