Facebook being used against me whilst off sick

[akasmiler]

so i had 2 weeks off sick covered by an official doctors note but i've been found to be on facebook playing a game that has logged my score, and I have also been tagged at a location when making a quick trip into town to drop my father in law off

Can i get disciplined for this?

[Prudie]

It would depend what you were off with and actually if covered by a doctor's note I don't think they could do more than frown about it.

[daffy654]

The facebook thing is irrelevant unless your sicknote states that you had gone blind or your arms fell off. You will have needed to keep yourself occupied whilst at home sick so playing a FB game is a good way of doing that.

[mike11111]

What do you mean by tagged? Highly unlikely, I would have thought. A doctor's sick note does not mean that you have to spend 24/7 in bed, merely that you are temporarily incapable of performing the duties for which you are paid.

[TWR]

Where you in your own home? that cannot go against you, regards your in-law, depends what your sick note states.

[woofgang]

It depends on what you are off work for...if its because you can't drive then dropping your Fil off might have been a bad move. I have been signed off work with a bad back and chatting with colleagues by email, also doing a bit of work cos I was so bored. I couldn't drive at all or walk more than a few steps so was legitimately off work.

[Ellipsis]

mike1111, "tagged at a location" refers the Facebook Places feature ...

http://www.facebook.com/places/

[mike11111]

One of these days I'll get the hang of Facebook, but at the moment I find it the most user-unfriendly site I have ever visited. I never really know what I'm doing, whether messages have been sent &c. I would never dream of "poking" someone, for fear of criminal charges.

[DTCwordfan]

Can we poke you here then, Mike?

[whiskeysheri]

Given that someone can tag you in a location without you having to actually be there, I shouldn't have thought so. For future reference, though, you can change your settings, so that people can't tag you anywhere. Good luck.

[mike11111]

A gentle nudge, yes. A poke, no.

[Prudie]

So presumably you're saying your employer has found this info on FB, why would they look in the first place and how can they access your details?

[Ellipsis]

Good advice from whiskeysheri ...

[akasmiler]

just to add, sorry, i've been off with a chest infection. I was tagged at the local boozer as i dropped the father in law off to watch the fa cup final and i stayed and had a coke with him

[factor-fiction]

Not specifically, but you can be disciplined (capability) for genuine absence in certain circumstances. And if you've been there less than a year they can just dismiss you for almost any reason.
Has someone suggested you may be disciplined?

[boxtops]

I met some people from work once when I was signed off sick and had gone out to fetch my prescription, they made me feel very guilty. Unless you are infectious or contagious, one is allowed to live when off sick - your doctor's note should be enough evidence for your workplace, it's not as if you were self-certifying and swinging the lead.

[Maydup]

I don't think you're likley to be disciplined for this, and unless your employer is also your best mate, I doubt they'll be looking will they?

Make your Facebook private for a bit and they won't have anything to look at.

[Eve]

I'd have thought it would have been more a matter of common sense and reasonableness with the specific circumstances.

For example, if I went home sick with a migraine I'd be expected to home in a dark quiet room so would expect a few questions if I was tagged say in the pub, even out generally with friends which could be seen as having fun.

I'd have thought they could start investigatory/disciplinary measures if they think (even if wrongly but they could reasonably believe) that you have been abusing sickness absence. You should have a proper opportunity to explain yourself etc... if so and they should reasonably investigate matters.

[JackDanielsU]

Facebook and other social networking sites are being used more and more by HR departments when employees are off "sick" to determine the vallidity

Its crazy how many people will ring in saying theyre sick, yet their FB profile will show theyve been out on the lash the night before, or go out on the drinks that day.

anyway-
The FA Cup Final was on a Saturday, but still if you had a chest infection, why were you ferrying round a relative to a pub? Thats the kind of question you may get asked, or at least your work colleagues are thinking

[woofgang]

How do hr depts see people's fb pages?

[amber_stone]

Sometimes people tag other their friends without the 'tagged' friend even present in the photo or location. Tedious business... I think you can un-tag yourself at Facebook. Just tighten up your Facebook privacy settings.