devildogbb
Junior Member
I posted a msg on Facebook and was suspended due to a violation of the firefighter code of ethics? Is this possible or am I protected by free speech.
I’m going to assume that you are a firefighter and that you were suspended from your firefighting position because of what you posted on Facebook. Some additional information is needed to figure out if any violation of your right to free speech is involved here. In what state do you work as a firefighter? Are you a member of a volunteer firefighting organization or are you employed by a city/county agency as a firefighter? What was the post that you made and what was the particular ethics violation that the organization said you violated?I posted a msg on Facebook and was suspended due to a violation of the firefighter code of ethics? Is this possible or am I protected by free speech.
I was posting at the same time you were, I think.I posted a msg on Facebook and was suspended due to a violation of the firefighter code of ethics? Is this possible or am I protected by free speech.
Few employers today want those in their employ to speak online about the workplace or coworkers or management unless it is done on a company sponsored site. Company websites are subject to employer controls and editing.I was suspended from my volunteer firefighter position for the following post "Per LVFD, RIP brotherhood, you are no longer an integral part of the fire service. This happened in South Carolina for the municipal city dept that I was at. It is a volunteer(pay per call) department.
They said I was in violation of the firefighter code of ethics which is part of some new policies that none of the membership was aware of or have yet to be given a copy of.
It states the following: Responibly use social networking, electronic communications, or other media technology opportunities in a manner that does not discredit, dishonor or embarrass my organization, the fire service and the public. I also understand that failure to resolve or report inappropriate use of this media equates to condoning this behavior.
It is a volunteer position.You don't have to understand it. Your employer's speech policy is anything he says it is at any given moment and you can be terminated for saying "boo" if he doesn't like it.
If you are on paid suspension, fine, stick it out.
But if you are unpaid suspension, that's the same as a termination or layoff and you should immediately file for unemployment compensation.
For which he gets paid. Strangest definition of volunteer I know of.It is a volunteer position.
No. Most of the volunteer firefighters in South Carolina do not get paid. It is at the discretion of a department whether to reimburse a volunteer for time spent responding to a call. The 240 hours of training is free.For which he gets paid. Strangest definition of volunteer I know of.
The pay-per-call would be discretionary pay. The departments that pay volunteers tend to provide a small amount of money just to cover the volunteers' costs of responding to a call.He said he gets paid per call which doesn't sound like what you describe.
But hey, what do I know?
That is the typical system used in my area also. As the op states, it’s called volunteer but they actually do get paid. In the op’s area and mine it is a per run fee.For which he gets paid. Strangest definition of volunteer I know of.
The average volunteer firefighter salary in United States is $33,873 or an equivalent hourly rate of $16[/QUITE]
Here he ssa says volunteer fire fighters are employees;
https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302101260