Six instances where social media posts led to employee termination

In this day and age, just about everyone has some form of social media. Websites such as Facebook and Instagram can be useful for keeping up with friends and family. However, users should be mindful of what they post. One wrong comment could have negative career ramifications. Here are a few examples of times when social media posts led to employee termination:

Several months ago, Curt Schilling, a baseball analyst with ESPN, shared a Facebook post directed towards the transgender community and bathroom laws. Schilling added, "A man is a man no matter what they call themselves...men's room was designed for the penis, women's not so much. Now you need laws telling us differently? Pathetic." ESPN subsequently fired Schilling, noting that ESPN is an "inclusive company."

That isn't the first time Facebook has gotten someone fired. A similar situation occurred in June after a Bank of America employee unleashed a racist rant on Facebook. The post featured derogatory language directed towards African Americans. The woman also called for people to "go back to Africa." Bank of America reportedly received thousands of complaints regarding the comments, and the employee was terminated.

It is not just Americans who have gotten into trouble because of their social media posts. In 2015, a Russian paramedic posted photos of herself with unconscious, injured, and dying patients while she was working. In one Instagram photo, she was even seen flipping off the camera with an injured patient visible in the background. The paramedic was eventually fired after the posts were brought to the attention of her employer.

Last year, a Taco Bell employee photographed himself urinating on an order of nachos. He posted the photo to his Twitter account and asked his followers to guess where he worked. His argument that "there are no laws saying what you can and cannot piss upon" failed and he was dismissed from the company.

There have also been countless instances where someone working with kids has been let go because of their posts. A high school math teacher was fired back in 2013 after making poor choices on Twitter. She not only tweeted about getting high, but also wrote that she had marijuana in her car in the staff parking lot. The teacher also tweeted "near-nude" photos of herself, and used sexually suggestive language. After initially being placed on administrative leave, the teacher was eventually fired.

Another woman took to Facebook to share that she was about to start a new daycare job. She went on to say, "But I absolutely hate working at day care...I just really hate being around a lot of kids." When her employers heard about the comments, they informed her that she didn't need to come into work. The woman later admitted that her comment was "a big mistake" but the damage was already done.

Contributing Author: Caitlin Rogers