To publish or not to publish sacked workers’ photographs
Dec 06, 2010
JACK was fired from his managerial job recently. While he was still gnashing at the loss, his former employer published his picture in the newspapers. His family and friends saw it as he was thinking of ways to break the news.
By Angela Ndagano
JACK was fired from his managerial job recently. While he was still gnashing at the loss, his former employer published his picture in the newspapers. His family and friends saw it as he was thinking of ways to break the news.
Rumours followed that he had embezzled his former employer’s money.
In fact, society treats such people as criminals.
According to Ivan Ikoba, a lawyer with Juris Law, a company has the right to inform the public that someone, who was handling business on its behalf, no longer works with them.“An employee acts as an agent for the company. It is the company’s responsibility to inform the public that you are no longer their employee.â€
But in cases where a contract has ended, the firm has no right to publish one’s picture.
“In cases where the picture has been published as a Police case, you can only sue after you are acquitted,†he adds. Ikoba explains that the former employer can be sued for malicious prosecution and defamation.
“If a person continues to handle transactions, cheques, or negotiate and sign documents on behalf of his former employer, then it is the duty of the employer to inform the public,†says Consolate Ademson, a human resource expert.
She says if the person had say, stolen company money, the organisation lets the public know in a proper way. “The company files a case with Police and the picture is published with the case number.â€
Ademson admits that sometimes company might phrase statements in away that make someone appear wrong in the eyes of society.
JACK was fired from his managerial job recently. While he was still gnashing at the loss, his former employer published his picture in the newspapers. His family and friends saw it as he was thinking of ways to break the news.
Rumours followed that he had embezzled his former employer’s money.
In fact, society treats such people as criminals.
According to Ivan Ikoba, a lawyer with Juris Law, a company has the right to inform the public that someone, who was handling business on its behalf, no longer works with them.“An employee acts as an agent for the company. It is the company’s responsibility to inform the public that you are no longer their employee.â€
But in cases where a contract has ended, the firm has no right to publish one’s picture.
“In cases where the picture has been published as a Police case, you can only sue after you are acquitted,†he adds. Ikoba explains that the former employer can be sued for malicious prosecution and defamation.
“If a person continues to handle transactions, cheques, or negotiate and sign documents on behalf of his former employer, then it is the duty of the employer to inform the public,†says Consolate Ademson, a human resource expert.
She says if the person had say, stolen company money, the organisation lets the public know in a proper way. “The company files a case with Police and the picture is published with the case number.â€
Ademson admits that sometimes company might phrase statements in away that make someone appear wrong in the eyes of society.