Employee Manual 2023 - Flipbook - Page 132
f. All requirements stated above apply to any authorized person posting to any social
media site on behalf of the City of Plymouth, including but not limited to FaceBook,
Twitter, and any mobile application developed by the City.
The City encourages employees to be respectful, fair and courteous to fellow employees, citizens,
vendors or people who work on behalf of the City or visit the City. Employees are more likely to
resolve work-related complaints by speaking directly with their co-workers or supervisor or by
utilizing our Open Door Policy than by posting complaints to a social media outlet.
Nevertheless, if an employee decides to exercise their Section 7 rights under National Labor
Relations Act (or the state counterpart) by posting complaints or criticisms, they must do so in a
lawful manner and avoid using statements, photographs, video or audio recordings that reasonably
could be viewed as obscene, intimidating, abusive, demeaning, or threatening, or that unlawfully
defame individuals, or that might constitute unlawful harassment or bullying.
Examples of such impermissible conduct might include offensive posts meant to intentionally and
unlawfully harm someone’s reputation or posts that could contribute to a hostile work
environment on the basis of race, color, national origin, weight, height, sex (including pregnancy
and conditions related to pregnancy), sexual orientation, transgendered status, disability, genetic
information, religion, veteran or marital status, misdemeanor arrest record, or any other status
protected by law or City policy.
The following procedures also apply:
1. Be truthful and accurate. Employees must always strive to be truthful and accurate
when posting information or news, and any mistakes should be corrected promptly.
Be open about any previous posts you have altered/corrected. Remember that the
internet archives almost everything; therefore, even deleted postings can be searched.
Never post any information or rumors that you know to be false or in reckless
indifference to its truthfulness about the City, fellow employees, citizens, suppliers,
people working on behalf of the City or visitors to the City.
2. Do not misuse, share or make any unauthorized post of information that is proprietary,
business secrets or other such confidential information (i.e., confidential financial data)
of the City, its citizens, or fellow employees. Use good ethical judgment and follow City
policies and federal requirements such as the Health Insurance Portability and
Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996.
3. Express only your personal opinions. Never represent yourself as a spokesperson for the
City unless you have been authorized as such in advance in writing. If the City is a
subject of the content you are creating, be clear and open about the fact that you are an
employee and make it clear that you are expressing your own views and that they may
not represent those of the City, fellow employees, or citizens of the City If you do
publish a blog or post online about the work you do or subjects associated with the City,
make it clear that you are not speaking on behalf of the City. It is best to include a
disclaimer such as “The postings on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect
the views of the City” to avoid misunderstanding.
4. Be transparent. If an employee participates in or maintains a social media site on behalf
of the City (i.e., has been authorized to do so), the role and goals of the page must be
clearly stated. Keep in mind that employees who post with a City username are not
City of Plymouth Employee manual - Page 132 – March 2023
