The necklace is featured in the brand’s “Rebel Heart” campaign starring Adam Levine and Behati Prinsloo.
Saving legal Face
I feel the need to confess something right here and now. I personally don’t like Facebook. I just can’t delude myself into thinking that anybody actually cares what brand of syrup I bought at the store this morning (yes, this...
I feel the need to confess something right here and now. I personally don’t like Facebook.
I am certainly not the first person to publicly confess to this. At the Gemological Institute of America’s 2011 Symposium in San Diego, New York University professor Scott Galloway admitted that he didn’t like Facebook either. But he also made this point: whether or not you like it is not the issue.
The fact is Facebook is here, ostensibly to stay, and it is a place where millions of people are interacting every day. As a business owner you need to be part of the conversation. You also need to be aware that your employees are likely part of this ongoing online conversation too, and there are limits to the limits you can place on their freedom of speech.
Recently, a case arose in Mississippi where a police officer sued the city, mayor and police chief after she was fired for posting a Facebook update insinuating that she disagreed with the police department’s decision not to send a representative to the funeral of a police officer from a neighboring town.
The case caught my attention because questions surrounding the legality of Facebook, and social networking in general, are ones that employers need to have answered going forward.
New York attorney Alix Rubin, who specializes in employment law and whose husband works for an independent jeweler in New Jersey, said that the laws that protect the police officer in the Mississippi case, a public employee, don’t apply to private employees.
“Everybody has a right to free speech,” she says. “But not everybody has a right to free speech in the workplace.”
Like all private employers, retail jewelers can restrict what their employees post on social networking sites while they are at work, to an extent.
Rubin says employers can prevent
However, the National Labor Relations Board recently ruled that non-supervisory employees cannot be punished for discussing anything related to their working conditions, including treatment from their boss, their wages, other employees’ wages and their hours, on social networking sites while at work as long as it’s not during a time when they are supposed to be working, i.e., on their lunch break.
This applies, though, to only non-exempt employees; the NLRB has no jurisdiction over supervisory employees.
Rubin recommends that employers draft a social media policy. It shouldn’t be too general, keeping in mind that you cannot legally restrict certain employees from talking about their working conditions, and should be tied to the store’s (hopefully) existing anti-harassment or anti-discrimination policy.
“Social media policy is important to have so you have some control over what your employees do on social media but they shouldn’t be blanket statements,” she said. “You can, as an employer, restrict your employees from using racial or sexual slurs.”
For posts made outside of work, private employers actually do have some legal ground to stand on if an employee posts something harassing another employee and the situation seeps over into the workplace, or if an employee posts trade secrets or positions themselves falsely as a spokesperson of the store.
But, Rubin says, the bottom line is that employees need to get an attorney-reviewed policy in place beforehand, so employees can’t say they didn’t know. “Small business owners feel that they can’t afford it but what they need to realize is that it’s going to cost them more when they get into trouble,” she said.
The Latest
The two organizations will host a joint event, “Converge,” in September 2025.
Big changes appear to be on the horizon for the diamond miner and its parent company, Anglo American.
With Ho Brothers, you can unlock your brand's true potential and offer customers the personalized jewelry experiences they desire.
Padis succeeds Lisa Bridge, marking the first time the organization has had two women board presidents in a row.
The Royal Oak Perpetual Calendar "John Mayer" was celebrated at a star-studded party in LA last week.
The announcement came as the company reported a 23 percent drop in production in Q1.
For over 30 years, JA has advocated for the industry, fought against harmful legislation and backed measures that help jewelry businesses.
The three-time Pro Bowler continues to partner with the retailer, donating to a Detroit nonprofit and giving watches to fans.
A double-digit drop in the number of in-store crimes was offset by a jump in off-premises attacks, JSA’s 2023 crime report shows.
Inspired by the Roman goddess of love, the designer looked to the sea for her new collection.
The luxury titan posted declining sales, weighed down by Gucci’s poor performance.
The selected nine organizations have outlined their plans for the funds.
The mining company’s Diavik Diamond Mine lost four employees in a plane crash in January.
The crown introduced a dozen timepieces in Geneva, including a heavy metal version of its deep-sea divers’ watch.
Emmanuel Raheb recommends digging into demographic data, customizing your store’s communications, and retargeting ahead of May 12.
Located in the town of Queensbury, it features a dedicated bridal section and a Gabriel & Co. store-in-store.
A 203-carat diamond from the alluvial mine in Angola achieved the highest price.
Ruser was known for his figural jewelry with freshwater pearls and for his celebrity clientele.
The “Rebel Heart” campaign embodies rebellion, romance, and sensuality, the brand said.
The overhaul includes a new logo and enhanced digital marketplace.
The money will go toward supporting ongoing research and aftercare programs for childhood cancer survivors.
A new addition to the “Heirloom” collection, this one-of-a-kind piece features 32 custom-cut gemstones.
Last month in Dallas, David Walton pushed another jeweler, David Ettinger, who later died.
The move will allow the manufacturing company to offer a more “diverse and comprehensive” range of products.
From now through mid-May, GIA will be offering the reports at a 50 percent discount.
De Beers’ rough diamond sales were down 18 percent year-over-year in its latest round of sales.