Boasting about sickie could get you the sack

Wednesday, 24 September 2008

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So you've told the boss you have a bad cold, but you're really at home recovering from a hangover. And you've posted this boast on Facebook.

That's the kind of statement published on personal web pages which could lead to the sack and it seems plenty of people are getting caught out.

A study says employers are increasingly spying on personal web pages to find out what workers are up to when they phone in sick -- and the snooping is legitimate.

Dublin's Office of the Data Commissioner has warned workers they can expect little legal protection if they are foolish enough to publish details of their exploits online.

Employers are paying particular attention to those who have called in sick to establish if they have really just been burning the candle at both ends.

Some 83pc of employers surveyed by Peninsula Business Services said they monitored Facebook pages to check the validity of absences, while 67pc said they then disciplined staff for bogus "sickies" taken from work.

Peninsula spokesman Alan Price said: "Irish employers have found an effective method of monitoring staff sickness and workers should be aware of the consequences of taking a fraudulent day off sick.

"If caught they are liable to disciplinary proceedings being brought against them.

"Employees should also realise that they are employed to do a job and unless their job description allows for social networking, they should not be doing it during the working day."

Diarmuid Hallinan, the Assistant Data Commissioner, said there was nothing to stop an employer looking at the website if the material is already in the public domain.

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We all deserve a day to ourselves every now and then. I feel as long as the employee does not abuse this, the employer should mind their business! I'm sure they've done it too.

Posted by kiki | 02.10.08, 18:23 GMT

People are dumb. I can't believe 10 years or so of reality TV has dumbed down society so much. De-evolution is real.

Posted by Spud Boy | 29.09.08, 08:25 GMT

i think thats kinda sly eveyone fakes a sickie every now and again its just human!!! thats really not nice and dont agree with it at all

Posted by laura | 26.09.08, 15:22 GMT

thanks 4 tellin us belfast telegraph, now we know not to lmao!! we'll just text each other instead

Posted by Scoby90 | 25.09.08, 20:12 GMT

What kind of industry does bosses sit on bebo and other social networking sites and creep on there staff? I do aslo agree with andrew that anyone could make up a site claiming to be someone elese and write things and upload various pictures of the person they are claiming to be and their friends.

Posted by John | 25.09.08, 17:48 GMT

i could set up an account of someone i didnt like in work find out their d.o.b and upload pictures of them then when they are sick i could write on others pages boasting i was drunk the night before not actually sick.

and then my boss could come on look at pictures and names (which you think is enough to prove is the person) and then think that the person was lying about their sickness.

The reason i am saying this because i had a problem with the law before and my bebo page was brought up to the police and they dismissed that it was any evidence because they could not prove i made it up, wrote about my actions and uploaded the pictures myself!

Posted by Andrew | 25.09.08, 17:25 GMT

By your comment Andrew I take it you are one of those who enjoy doing this. I doubt many people have enough time on their hands to set up an account under a friends name and pretend to be them.

Posted by Andy | 25.09.08, 16:39 GMT

I've used Bebo loads of times to instigate disciplinary investigations against staff members.

In each case it has resulted in disciplinary action being taken against that staff member.

And in response to Andrew. You can check photos images are the same as the person who works for you, also you can check dates of birth, locations, friends etc.

Posted by Dave | 25.09.08, 15:21 GMT