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March 03, 2002
No Such Thing as "Personal Life"
You might think that what you do after you leave the office is your own business and no one else's. As happens every now and again, you would be wrong. Two recent examples serve as reminders that your connection to your employer exists even when your butt is not firmly planted in the Aeron chair.
+ Teacher Fired for NAMBLA Affiliation Loses Suit: I swear that I always thought NAMBLA (North American Man-Boy Love Association) was just a joke perpetuated by homophobic fratboys. Peter Melzer, a physics teacher at Bronx High School of Science, lost his job because of his ties to the organization, despite having tenure. The Board of Education dismissed Melzer because of the potential for disruption if he continued to teach after his affiliation was publicized.
+ Collecting Unemplyment: This is the personal acount of Heather Hamilton, who was recently fired. She was fired for having a negative attitude at work, based on what she writes about her office on her personal website. This case caused significant uproar among the armchair ethicists at MetaFilter. Because of all the attention, Hamilton posted additional information about the circumstances of her termination on her website.
In both cases, I can understand the emloyer's position. That is not to say that there could not have been different outcomes I would find better, just that both sides can make arguments I find reasonable, which is a good indication of a tough issue.
Posted by buddha at March 3, 2002 10:25 PM