Unfiltered Company Intranet Worker Chatter Poses Liability Risk

A string of recent discrimination cases over employee postings on company intranets highlight the balance employers must strike in encouraging workers’ views without running afoul of their rights.

Many employers use in-house intranets to share workplace news and give workers a platform to speak about them. But stifling comments—or firing an employee over them—can invite lawsuits.

Navigating the tension between religious expression and the protection of other rights is “tricky,” said Richard Garnett, a law professor who leads the University of Notre Dame’s Church, State & Society program.

Case in point: Alaska Airlines Inc.‘s dispute with flight attendants ...