Ex boss made a potentially damaging post on FB

[LHD]

Legal types,

I have recently left a job and today i've discovered through a third party that she's made a statement on a certain social networking site.

The long and the short of it is she's called me a bully and stating my attitude sucks.

What options do i have?

[Futuo]

http://www.urban75.org:80/info/libel.html

[Mandat]

What proof do you have that you ex-boss posted anything on FB?

[LHD]

Mandat said:

What proof do you have that you ex-boss posted anything on FB?

A phone call from a mutual friend who is friends on there with her.

A hard copy will be in my hands tomorrow.

Would it be advisable to lawyer up?

[bonsai]

Are you a bully? Does your attitude suck?

[R60EST]

OP , Do you realise how petty and childish you sound.

Sticks and stones etc

grow up & grow some

[LHD]

bonsai said:

Are you a bully? Does your attitude suck?

No and no.

This has all come out since i left. Nothing has ever been said or action taken when i was in the job.

[richyb]

What do you hope to achieve by legally pursuing her for her opinion? Genuine question.

[LHD]

richyb said:

What do you hope to achieve by legally pursuing her for her opinion? Genuine question.

The fact that it may have ramifications if i should require a reference.

If this was correct why didn't she bring it up?

At no time would i have said i had a bad attitude or been a bully as that is not my style.

If i'm honest, i'm more shocked she's so unprofessional.

Edited by LHD on Wednesday 3rd February 22:55

[st_files]

To be fair to the OP, what about the next time he goes for a job, new potential employer googles his name, bingo....FB quote comes up.

[Frankeh]

Befriend boss.
Comment on status update with a well thought out argument with limited room for rebuttal.
Never reply again.

Job done.

[Piglet]

st_files said:

To be fair to the OP, what about the next time he goes for a job, new potential employer googles his name, bingo....FB quote comes up.

Except it won't unless the person searching is friends with the person who posted it will it??

Technically (if it's not true) it's defamation, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket and you think that it is damaging to your future prospects then you could pursue it but defamation claims are notoriously price to bring.

I'd be tempted to send a copy of the print to the HR Manager (what sort of co is it? big/small? and ask them to comment about her conduct.

[deviant]

Piglet said:

st_files said:

To be fair to the OP, what about the next time he goes for a job, new potential employer googles his name, bingo....FB quote comes up.

Except it won't unless the person searching is friends with the person who posted it will it??

Technically (if it's not true) it's defamation, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket and you think that it is damaging to your future prospects then you could pursue it but defamation claims are notoriously price to bring.

I'd be tempted to send a copy of the print to the HR Manager (what sort of co is it? big/small? and ask them to comment about her conduct.

Facebook allows you to set your own security on your profile, this ranges from fully open for anyone to see through to being able to select individual sections and even selecting which of your friends can see these sections...I.E. Your 'night out' photo album can be secured from your mum but viewed by everyone else and your status can be open for the public to see.

Personally I would never mention anything to do with work on there. I dont like the idea of any employer or potential employer snooping around for me on the net and would feel like there had been a gross invasion of privacy if something was said to me but at the same time its not the place for me to mouth off about the people that pay me!

[DKMsport]

deviant said:

Piglet said:

st_files said:

To be fair to the OP, what about the next time he goes for a job, new potential employer googles his name, bingo....FB quote comes up.

Except it won't unless the person searching is friends with the person who posted it will it??

Technically (if it's not true) it's defamation, if you've got money burning a hole in your pocket and you think that it is damaging to your future prospects then you could pursue it but defamation claims are notoriously price to bring.

I'd be tempted to send a copy of the print to the HR Manager (what sort of co is it? big/small? and ask them to comment about her conduct.

Facebook allows you to set your own security on your profile, this ranges from fully open for anyone to see through to being able to select individual sections and even selecting which of your friends can see these sections...I.E. Your 'night out' photo album can be secured from your mum but viewed by everyone else and your status can be open for the public to see.

Personally I would never mention anything to do with work on there. I dont like the idea of any employer or potential employer snooping around for me on the net and would feel like there had been a gross invasion of privacy if something was said to me but at the same time its not the place for me to mouth off about the people that pay me!

The company I work for have caught people slagging them off on facebook and friendly warnings were breifed out to stop it happening again.

[deckster]

Piglet said:

I'd be tempted to send a copy of the print to the HR Manager (what sort of co is it? big/small? and ask them to comment about her conduct.

This. Retaliation in kind would be petty, and getting all legal on her arse doubly petty plus incredibly expensive.

Let the company know and I guarantee you they'll be on her like a ton of bricks.

[escargot]

R60EST said:

OP , Do you realise how petty and childish you sound.

Sticks and stones etc

grow up & grow some

For what it's worth, I agree with the OP. There's a reason why it's illegal to go around spouting crap about people. It's not on and it needs dealing with.

A cease and desist letter should do the trick.

[Frankeh]

Why would anyone want to go the legal route before the civil route?

[bogwoppit]

Frankeh said:

Why would anyone want to go the legal route before the civil route?

For "compo". I hear it's common in those with green eyes and suffering from abnormal hair growth and other deformities.

If you're really bothered, ask her to delete the comment and go your separate ways.

[LHD]

It's been dealt with.

The last thing i'd want to do is go legal but thankfull it's dealt with.

[Piglet]

LHD said:

It's been dealt with.

The last thing i'd want to do is go legal but thankfull it's dealt with.

You do know you can't just fob us off like that don't you? You start a thread full of outrage, we give you our advice - you can't just come back and said "it's dealt with"

C'mon