| The internet has revolutionized communication and how we work today. The labor laws in the United States were created during the industrial era over eighty years ago, yet continue to serve as the backbone of rights today. But what happens when the method of communication for workers changes beyond the scope of anything the drafters could have envisioned? This final project will examine the state of employee rights when utilizing internet technologies to communicate about workplace matters. The basic hypothesis is that adequate protections do not exist for employee digital speech. Through an analysis of National Labor Relations Board cases, court cases, and the legal issues surrounding digital speech contained in emails, blogs, and social networking sites, I will prove my hypothesis. Furthermore, I will discuss three policy recommendations to relieve the problems uncovered. There is no panacea to resolve the varied issues surrounding employee digital speech, but this final project will recommend the best practices to resolve the problems analyzed. |
