Has your podcast affected your Job?

I recently spoke to a friend and hi told me that their job recently told him to stop podcasting. He is in the finance business and does a weekly podcast about managing your personal funds. He said that he has never mentioned where he works but the employer told him that they might be forced to fire him if he doesn't stop.

Has anyone experienced anything like this? Is it legal for an employer to request something like this?

Interesting question. I don't know what the legal situation is but some employers now request Facebook and Twitter information before hiring someone.

I don't know if its legal or not but it is a concern for many people podcasting.

I was fired from a 13 year job for a podcast I did. The company never admitted it, but over the last year I've gained enough inside information to determine that was the cause.

So, though we may have the 1st Amendment right to say what we wish, your employer can also exercise their right to terminate or discipline you if they don't like what you're saying. It varies from state to state, but in Georgia, your employer doesn't need a reason to legally terminate your employment.

All I'm saying -- be careful. :)

Not sure how this works but I guess if someone 'slams' their company, that could do it. I make certain that I never post anything on-line that I would regret in the morning. I assume that everyone I know or don't know, checks my boring social activity each and every day. I belong to quite a few hobby forums and I can say straight-up, that if people conducted themselves on their social media sites like' we do here on the IAIB, nobody would ever get in trouble.

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Originally Posted by Donovan

I was fired from a 13 year job for a podcast I did. The company never admitted it, but over the last year I've gained enough inside information to determine that was the cause.

So, though we may have the 1st Amendment right to say what we wish, your employer can also exercise their right to terminate or discipline you if they don't like what you're saying. It varies from state to state, but in Georgia, your employer doesn't need a reason to legally terminate your employment.

All I'm saying -- be careful. :)

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Wow. What type of show were you doing ? Was it considered adult?

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Originally Posted by andrewzarian

Wow. What type of show were you doing ? Was it considered adult?

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It was an impromptu live show that the owner of the company happened to tune into that day. It was rough - language, politics, sexual topics, etc. and alcohol was involved (yeah, there was that). I never once stated who I worked for, but I guess he didn't care. Three days later I was called in to the VP's office and fired and the VP was instructed NOT to tell me why.

I wrote a fictional story around what happened that day called Fifty and Furious, so if anyone's interested, the link is in my signature below.

Thanks Donavon, you inspired me to produce my own show that I will call ‘Sixty and Senile’.

Happy New Year!

Well Paul, unfortunately it is legal is a lot of states. It's amazing what employers are asking for these days before they hire you and/or promote you to certain positions, but that's how it is now. I also think that people get mixed up on what the first amendment is all about and what it protects against. Sure you can say what you want (not slandering), but what you say has consequences. For the most part, the first amendment protects us from retributions against speaking out against the government, not necessarily saying what you want and/or what you believe. So what what you say b/c there are plenty of examples of people being fired or disciplined for things they say, even though it's their own beliefs and/or personal opinions. Just my 2 cents worth.

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Originally Posted by bigsix

Well Paul, unfortunately it is legal is a lot of states. It's amazing what employers are asking for these days before they hire you and/or promote you to certain positions, but that's how it is now. I also think that people get mixed up on what the first amendment is all about and what it protects against. Sure you can say what you want (not slandering), but what you say has consequences. For the most part, the first amendment protects us from retributions against speaking out against the government, not necessarily saying what you want and/or what you believe. So what what you say b/c there are plenty of examples of people being fired or disciplined for things they say, even though it's their own beliefs and/or personal opinions. Just my 2 cents worth.

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I have to completely agree.

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Originally Posted by bigsix

Well Paul, unfortunately it is legal is a lot of states. It's amazing what employers are asking for these days before they hire you and/or promote you to certain positions, but that's how it is now. I also think that people get mixed up on what the first amendment is all about and what it protects against. Sure you can say what you want (not slandering), but what you say has consequences. For the most part, the first amendment protects us from retributions against speaking out against the government, not necessarily saying what you want and/or what you believe. So what what you say b/c there are plenty of examples of people being fired or disciplined for things they say, even though it's their own beliefs and/or personal opinions. Just my 2 cents worth.

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I would say around 75% of all people living in the States misunderstand the first amendment. Everytime someone says something and gets fired/suspended from their high profile job (take the Duck Dynasty stuff for instance, or anytime a broadcaster gets caught speaking a controversial thought that becomes national headlines)... The first thing everyone says is... "First Amendment!"... "Free Country"... they have no idea that first amendment protects against a lot, but your employer is not one of them. No one is coming to arrest them for speaking out, but they sure will get suspended, fired, etc.

So sadly, the employer has every right to fire whoever they want in a lot of states for no reason at all. So... with that being said, podcast at your own risk. It makes it easier if this has become a full time job, then you only have to answer to yourself (or possibly advertisers if you say something that pisses them off), but overall anyone else is at risk.