Yes, this is going to be one of
those what some would call ranting columns. It seems a teacher in Mexico was
let go for having too much fun on vacation. She didn’t do anything illegal or
anything any other vacationer probably wouldn’t have done. She merely had fun.
But her employer felt it had the right to fire her for what she did on her
vacation aka her own time. Now this goes hand in hand with how employers in the
United States have been increasingly probing social media when hiring
employees.
To me this means Congress has to
write some more strict rules on employers and employees about working time and
personal time. So there are clear and concise guidelines for employers so that
employees are not being punished or condemned for what they do on their own
personal time. After all employees are not slaves to the companies they work
for. They do have personal lives as well as personal opinions. And under The
Constitution they are allowed to express them.
And it is about time Congress did
their job of protecting citizens from being abused by their employers like they
had to do during the Industrial Revolution. We have long been in the
Technological Revolution and now entering the Social Media Revolution. It is
high time that Congress acted to protect workers from over invasion of privacy
by employers. So that even if employers see what employees are doing on their
personal time as long as it is not illegal they cannot penalize them for it.
Before the Technological and Social
Media Revolution it was easy for an employee to have their personal time away
from the job. Now it has grown increasingly difficult for employees to get away
from their job under the protections that are in place for them. They are long
overdue for new protections that have been needed for many years now. But,
employers have long funded campaigns, which may explain why lawmakers on any
level have taken their time in acting.
Well this writer for one is not
impressed. Lawmakers were elected to do what is best for the country and the
people living in it not just the rich. It is time for them to get down to work
and start doing just that. And, if they won then it is up to us the people to
make as much noise as it takes for them to listen. And, if after all that they
still refuse to do their job then we must make sure they lose their jobs at the
voting booth.
We must start voting with our
current interests in mind not what we hope to be someday. Too many of us vote
against our best interest. We must kick out those who are not truly fighting
for us and put into power those who will fight for us. Those that will do their
job and fight for the people. Those that will pass the protections needed for
employees today and not put them off. This is a new age in need of new
protections.
Ok, I will climb down off my soapbox
now. I hope you enjoyed reading today’s column despite it being a bit of a
rant. Feel free to leave questions and comments below. And, if you want my
columns to appear in your inbox enter your email address in the box below where
it says follow by email. As for me I am off to try and finish off my school
work a day early for this week. *Tips his hat and walks out the door. *
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