Can you be fired for something said outside of work?

If you are an at-will employee, you could be terminated based on what you do outside of work. However, any employee who is considered “at-will” — that is, he or she is not in a union and does not have a contract — can be terminated for any non-illegal reason. This often includes what an employee does outside of work.

Can an employer control what you do outside of work?

Generally, an employee’s off-duty conduct is off-limits as far as employers are concerned. Exceptions do exist if there is some relationship between the off-duty conduct and your business and if misconduct outside of the workplace poses a risk for your business.

Is it fair for the workplace to fire someone based on their behavior outside of the workplace or behavior outside of their work role?

If someone’s behavior outside work reveals a side of them that can compromise their relationships with co-workers or customers, or suggests they might be prone to violence or aggression, employers would be wise to fire them, says Kate Bischoff, a Minnesota employment lawyer and founder of tHRive Law & Consulting.

Can my employer fire me for something I do outside of work?

An employer cannot fire you for things you do outside the workplace in furtherance of any of these classifications. Employees can be fired for otherwise unlawful activity done in furtherance of a religious belief or ritual.

Are behaviors outside of the workplace grounds for termination?

Behavior outside the workplace can be grounds for termination depending upon the nature of the work and the type of conduct involved.

Can you be fired for criminal activity outside of the workplace?

Employers can fire workers engaging in criminal activity outside the workplace. Whether termination is appropriate depends upon the nature of the job and the type of crime committed. Violent or sexual felonies are almost always acceptable grounds for termination.

What are the rights of an employee not to be fired?

Depending on the state, employers may not have the right to terminate an employee for certain reasons, such as taking action that benefits the public. Additionally, workers cannot be fired because of their race, gender, religion and other discriminatory reasons, states the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries.