Facebook post gets
TBN worker fired
July 10th, 2012, 3:00 am
posted by Mary Ann Milbourn
Facebook
has become the battleground for workplace issues with the latest involving a
Trinity Broadcasting Network employee who was fired for a post that was
critical of the Christian ministry’s leadership.
Recent workplace dust-ups have involved a variety of issues from employers asking workers to disclose their Facebook username and password so they can see what the employee or job applicant has posted to ordering removal of private posts that were perceived as derogatory.
All fell into the murky
area of free speech and private activity versus employer rights.
The TBN case is different. Jonathan Rovetto, the now former assistant
station engineer at TBN’s Milwaukee outlet, knew he likely would be fired but posted
a rant on Facebook anyway.
His ire targeted TBN founders Jan and Paul Crouch, who are locked in a
legal battle against their granddaughter, Brittany Crouch Koper, who accused
them and the network of misusing the ministry’s funds.
Rovetto, 53, and a Brittany supporter, had been following developments in
the case online and was becoming more upset with each revelation about how TBN
was run.
He initially just began linking on Facebook to online Orange County
Register stories
about the litigation. But two weeks ago, he said he decided he had
to speak out.
“TBN, why should you care? Many people really dislike TBN and don’t watch,”
he wrote on his Facebook wall. “Over the years people have been turned off by
Jan’s pink hair, screaming preachers during Praise-A-Thon, and the heavy
concentration of ‘Prosperity Teachers’ that fill the TBN schedule.”
Rovetto acknowledged the Crouches had built TBN into an international
ministry.
“However, they have fallen into the trap that many other prosperity
preachers/successful ministers have fallen into,” he wrote. “One word,
ENTITLED. Their hard work and success have given them reason to believe they
have done something to deserve a lifestyle of pleasure and excess.”
He ended the post asking people to pray for Brittany.
On June 28 Rovetto was fired at the instruction of John
Casoria, TBN’s in-house legal counsel.
An email from Casoria to Rovetto’s manager cited the Facebook postings as
cause for the dismissal.
“Our follow up shows that he continues to make negative statements about
his employer publically (sic),” Casoria wrote. “This is unfortunate. Neither
his conduct nor his attitude is conducive to his continuing employment with the
ministry.”
Rovetto estimates less than 100 people saw the post but he realized he
still probably would be fired.
“I wanted to speak freely about my employer,” Rovetto said.
Roger Schnapp, a Newport Beach attorney and expert on employment law, said
legal issues surrounding an employee’s right to comment about their employer on
their private social media sites is an evolving area.
“The question becomes whether an employee engaged in protected activity,”
Schnapp said. “There is a good likelihood he could have a remedy, as crazy as
it sounds.”
Colby M. May, TBN’s attorney, declined to discuss Rovetto’s dismissal.
“I am sure you can appreciate, pursuant to Trinity’s general policies and
in respect of privacy interests, it does not comment on personnel matters,” May
wrote in an emailed response to a request for comment.”Trinity does, of course,
comply with all employment laws applicable to its ministry operations.”
Meanwhile, Rovetto escalated his attack on the TBN leadership after his
firing, posting what he calls a video
“smackdown” on YouTube.
So
tell us … Which side do you think is right here?
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