Violent Police, Vulgar Principals, and Workplace Misconduct in the News: June 2026

Every month, employers find themselves in the hot seat from employees behaving poorly on social media. From recording viral videos mocking patients to company executives caught having affairs on kiss cams, employee behavior is an increasing problem for organizations. 

This month, we explore five new scandals plaguing employers around the world. You’ll find a police officer who posted about leaving a crime scene early for an undisclosed second job, to a school principal cursing out staff on a school trip, and even journalists making inappropriate public comments about a colleague online. Read on to see what workplace misconduct scandals are currently in the news, how it impacts HR and Talent Acquisition, and what solutions can help mitigate online misconduct. 

What is Online Misconduct and Why Should HR Care?

Workplace misconduct is behavior that violates company policies, professional standards, or legal obligations and negatively affects the workplace. Misconduct can include harassment or discrimination, violent threats, leaking confidential information, and fraud. 

Historically, misconduct was confined to offices, break rooms, or the workplace water cooler. Today, people share everything about them and everything they see on social media, transforming office misconduct into public, permanent scandals online. Now, a single post can spread online within hours, exposing employers to reputational, legal, and operational risks.

For employers, this means workplace misconduct is now online misconduct. It no longer just impacts employees or customers. Once online, it can spread around the world and permanently document bad behavior connected to your business, hindering your ability to attract and retain top talent, maintain a positive brand reputation, and even operate your business. 

Mitigating people risk now means addressing misconduct that spreads both at work and online. As HR and Talent Acquisition teams navigate the current tech-savvy, six-generation workforce, proactive risk management strategies like social media screening are increasingly important to protecting your people, workplace, and organization.

5 Instances of Workplace Misconduct 

#1. Love Island USA Fires Contestant Ahead of Premiere Over Alleged Use of N-Word

A cast member selected for season 8 of the Peacock reality series Love Island USA was dropped from the show after old social media posts resurfaced of her using the n-word. Two days after the cast was announced, fans began to dig into the contestants' backgrounds and found the harmful videos.

Because the network was seemingly unaware of the footage prior to the public announcement, they took swift action following the online backlash. Montgomery was officially removed from the dating show's lineup, causing an unexpected casting disruption just before the season began. This sudden shift forced the employer and production network to navigate an immediate public relations issue right at the launch of their major reality TV season.

For employers, this demonstrates why proactive social media vetting is now critical. A worker's past online behavior can resurface and transfer immense reputational and liability risks to the organization associated with them. When companies face this type of public misconduct, they must be prepared to protect their brand integrity, enforce clear behavioral standards, and act decisively to maintain public trust and prevent lasting damage to their institution.

#2. San Antonio police officer fired twice over inappropriate TikTok videos, allowing sex assault suspects to re-enter crime scene

A San Antonio police officer was fired after posting social media videos showing him and other officers leaving work and crime scenes early to go to a second, undisclosed security job. The situation escalated when he abandoned a sexual assault crime scene, allowing suspects to revisit the scene and tamper with evidence. This came after the officer was already reprimanded for inappropriate conduct on social media after posting TikTok videos showing a fellow officer flipping off the camera at work. 

The officer was terminated twice on the same day: once for insubordination and unprofessional conduct regarding the TikTok videos and another for abandoning his post.

The officer’s behavior on social media and toward his department leadership showed a disregard for workplace rules, authority, and integrity, requirements for fitness and propriety in law enforcement. Refusing the direct order to delete the inappropriate content challenges authority and sets a dangerous precedent for the rest of the team. The employee’s behavior also posed safety, reputational, and liability risks by showing the department in a bad light, eroding public trust in personnel, investigations, and the overall institution. Beyond that, it compromised crime scenes and evidence of ongoing investigations, which can derail a criminal prosecution.

#3. Journalist Fired After Public Comments About Sportscaster and NFL Head Coach Affair 

USA Today fired an NFL reporter for making public comments about a fellow sportscaster’s affair with an NFL head coach. 

The public comments included critical social media posts and additional allegations regarding relationships between reporters and NFL personnel. USA Today subsequently terminated the reporter for her comments, citing they did not align with the organization’s standards of professionalism and ethical conduct.

The journalist defended her comments despite the consequences. The controversy fueled broader discussions within sports media about professional boundaries, journalistic ethics, and the role of social media in workplace conduct.

For employers, public social media commentary about colleagues, industry peers, or workplace-related controversies can damage workplace relationships and reputations. When it comes to journalists and people in other public-facing professions, online statements that are viewed as unprofessional or unethical may lead to disciplinary action.

#4. Shelby officer fired, State Bureau of Investigations investigates after viral arrest video sparks outrage

A Shelby police officer was terminated after a doorbell camera captured the officer throwing a woman on the ground and repeatedly punching her in the head. The video shows a second officer stepping in to stop the violent attack. The footage was posted online leading to widespread public criticism, intense community outrage, and protests outside the city's police headquarters.

The officer was terminated quickly and the results of the internal investigation were turned over to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation (SBI) to conduct an independent review of potential criminal violations. This public exposure severely impacted the employer, as city leadership explicitly stated that the incident strained the core fabric of community trust, overshadowed the agency's professionalism, and forced the city government to immediately pivot into damage control to repair its public image.

This case underscores the necessity of strict behavioral standards and transparent accountability. In the modern digital age, workplace misconduct can be captured by third-party surveillance and broadcast globally, leading to legal and reputational consequences. When an employee's actions trigger intense public backlash, institutional integrity is on the line.

#5. Principal of Hong Kong school fired over viral public outburst on school trip 

A Hong Kong secondary school principal was fired after a video showed him swearing at security guards during a student trip to Singapore.

The incident occurred at a recreation center in Singapore, where the principal was filmed arguing with security personnel over a parking and traffic dispute involving a school bus. The video quickly spread online, showing the principal using vulgar language and berating the guards in front of students and staff. The incident prompted public backlash and investigations by school officials and Singaporean police.

Following an internal review, the school suspended the principal before ultimately dismissing him, citing conduct that violated professional standards expected of educators and school leaders. The principal publicly apologized and initially tendered his resignation, but the school later rejected the resignation and terminated his employment.

At a time when nearly everyone has a video camera in their pockets, how leaders and employees behave in public at work matters. For educators and other public-facing professionals, public outbursts involving abusive or unprofessional behavior can harm the employer’s reputation, harm students and faculty, and result in disciplinary action and loss of trust.

The Role of Social Media Background Screening in Preventing Misconduct

Organizations face increasing pressure to proactively identify potential risks before they evolve into public scandals. As workplace conduct increasingly unfolds online, traditional background checks alone won’t provide the visibility employers need.

Social media background screening solutions help organizations compliantly identify high risk online behaviors across publicly available online sources. They use AI to analyze over 10,000 public sources in text, image, and video for workplace misconduct such as discrimination, violent threats, harassment, and data leaks. By identifying risks early, organizations can better protect workplace safety, employee experience, and brand reputation.

Fama also protects employees from invasive data privacy violations by screening only publicly available content, requiring consent before a screen, focusing on job-relevant risks, and providing the opportunity to view and dispute results.

Looking Ahead

June’s workplace misconduct headlines demonstrate how quickly employee behavior can become an organizational risk.

From social media controversies to public acts of violence to discriminatory remarks, these incidents highlight the growing challenges employers face in managing people risk and workplace conduct in today’s digital world. 

As people continue to treat social media like their personal diaries and workplace water coolers, organizations must address online misconduct before it escalates into legal, reputational, or operational consequences. Proactive social media screening helps employers make better risk management decisions, reducing exposure to future scandals.

By identifying publicly available misconduct risks early, organizations can strengthen workplace safety, protect their brands, and ensure tomorrow’s headlines aren’t about them.

Learn how Fama helps employers identify misconduct risks and protect their organizations through compliant social media screening. Request a demo today.