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CMack2009 · Oct 19, 2009, 07:57 PM

If a former employer posts on a publicly viewed internet forum, naming several former employees and making disparaging remarks about them, is this grounds for a suit?

The former employees in question were public figures, in that they were members of the media.

The employer referred to them as "backstabbers," "liars," and several words unfit for a public forum or a person of her position within the company and the community.

The thread has since been taken down, but one of the accused retained a screen cap.

Thank you for your insight!

JudyKayTee · Oct 19, 2009, 08:20 PM

It comes down to suing for monetary damages. What are the monetary damages?

excon · Oct 20, 2009, 05:31 AM

Hello C:

Looks like you'd win the liability part of a suit... But, as Judy pointed out if you have no monetary damages, you won't win a dime.

excon

CMack2009 · Oct 20, 2009, 06:27 AM

There have been no monetary damages as yet, however, some of the facts cited were of a sensitive nature, detailing exchanges of money after one of the employees was terminated.

Could this have implications from a Department of Labor standpoint?

The sentence read, and I quote from the screen cap,

You did'nt sign anything (as you know by your countless blogs bad mouthing us and I had no legal obligation to give you a dime. Then you had the nerve to have your Daddy write us asking for $450 for moving expenses. After we did pay thousands to move you here.

I am concerned that this company may be using illegal hiring and firing practices, as this information was privately handled between the accused and the alleged employer.

Thoughts?

excon · Oct 20, 2009, 06:44 AM

Hello again, C:

It's gossip. It's mean. It's not illegal.

I'm pretty good with the law. I don't know what "illegal hiring and firing practices" are. In this country, a person can be hired for ANY reason whatsoever, and he can be fired for ANY reason whatsoever.

Sounds like they fired you and you're pissed off.

excon

PS> You'd get a lot better advice if you told us the COMPLETE story the first time around. It makes it extremely difficult for us to give GOOD advice when the story keeps changing...

CMack2009 · Oct 20, 2009, 06:52 AM

Good point, and I thank you for your insight! I was just curious if there were any legal implications with this statement. This outburst towards the accused was unprovoked and out of nowhere. Just wanted to get the story out there.

You're right, anyone can be hired or fired for whatever reason. And, if I was one of these people cited in this post, if I wasn't pissed off before, chances are I am now.

Your expertise and insight are appreciated and will be passed along.

s_cianci · Oct 20, 2009, 07:21 AM

In order to have grounds for a libel suit you'd have to prove that real damages resulted from the posted remarks. For example, did the statements posted by the former employer cause you to lose a job? Or not get hired for another one? You'd also have to prove that the remarks were unjustified/untrue. Granted, referring to someone as a "backstabber" or "liar" in a public forum such as you describe would seem to fit the criteria. But the basis for any potential lawsuit would be the loss that you sustained and can prove as a result of those statements.