Can I be Fired for Something I Say in My Blog?

With blogging comes liability risks, and the larger your audience, the greater the risk. You can quickly be fired for something you say that criticizes co-workers, comes off as prejudiced, or contains confidential company information. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t or can’t blog, however. Here are some rules to follow to keep you out of trouble while blogging as you please.

How to Not be Fired for Something You Say in Your Blog

• Pretend your boss is reading - Always assume that your employer is reading whatever you write, so you don’t write anything you’ll regret. This means avoiding writing about your job, coworkers, and especially about your boss. Even if you think you are blogging about work positively, and even if you objectively are, it’s best to err on the side of caution.
• Don’t rely on the First Amendment – The First Amendment to the Constitution protects our right to say as we please. It protects this right, however, from the government, not from private companies. It doesn't mean your employer can't fire you over something you say in a blog post.
• Blog anonymously – Recognition is far from the greatest benefit of consistently posting to a blog. If your focus is about improving your writing and gaining a readership, identifying yourself shouldn’t be a priority. The key to blogging anonymously is not giving out any information that might give you away.

At the end of the day, blogging safely is common sense. You want your employer, when reading your blog, to think to himself “this is someone who represents my company’s values well.” If you feel that your employer wrongly terminated you over what you wrote in your blog, contact your local employment attorney.

Dan A. Atkerson is a Dallas employment attorney who is passionate about fighting discrimination, wrongful termination and other forms of workplace injustice.