Legal Question in Employment Law in North Carolina

I work for a major pharmacy chain. Supposedly I signed some sort of social media agreement during employment. One of my superiors came across my instagram and I was brought in for a meet with two managers. They alleged I took various photos and posted them on my account, which I did but they simply were photos lifted from google image of drug.bottles and a prescription that contained some amusing spelling errors from a doctor. No personal intonation was visible, and none of it was a violation of hippa based on how it was cropped. When confronted, I panicked and mistakenly confessed in a written statement. The manager interrogating me was aggressive with his tone and mannerism, often raising his voice, snatching the pen and paper away from me, and cursing when reciting some of the instagram hashtags I supposedly used, which were likely a result of auto correct or instagram auto populating tags for me. Regardless, I felt anxious and fearing they wouldn't believe me I wrongly confessed thinking if I told them what they wanted to hear they would have some leniency on me. They suspended me as a result but then I was told to take all my personal belongings and leave. I felt distraught and like I was pressured to quit, which I did later via phone when it seemed inevitable I'd be fired anyway. Do I have any type of legal recourse in this situation? If it helps I live in NC, an "at will" working state. I also feel singled out and discriminated against as my direct boss I worked with had a picture on her instagram of klonopins, which clearly were on a work tray, taken as she was working which is a violation I was told. What should I do?


Asked on 9/27/13, 7:56 pm

1 Answer from Attorneys
Kenneth Love Ken Love Law

Unfortunately, discrimination is based on different treatment based on race, gender, religion, national origin, marital status, and disability. Here you didn't indicate any of those. I understand that their tactics were tough and not fair, but quitting was not the best move. Because you gave the written confession...even if coerced and quit, getting unemployment benefits will be difficult at best.

Speak to am employment attorney in your area, but unfortunately, I don't see grounds for a lawsuit.

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Answered on 9/29/13, 4:35 pm


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