Quote:
Freedom of speech only applies to government actors. I see nothing that indicates they were arrested, so, what is your beef? I might have a beef with that.
You're saying that employers have a right to fire employees for exercising their freedom of speech?
That is exactly what I am saying and, yes, with very, very few exceptions, it is perfectly legal for them to do so. Employers do so all the time.
Quote:
Their employer has the right to terminate them for their conduct. They were on a business trip, on company time, and they did something that made the employer look bad. It isn't clear to me from the story that they were on company time. They were in DC on a business trip. That doesn't mean their visit to the Tomb occurred on company time.
Yes, it does. When you are on a business trip, paid for by your employer, you employer has the right to discipline you for inappropriate conduct during that trip, even if it occurs outside of normal work hours.
This is what I do for a living and deal with cases like this frequently. I have handled a number of cases where employees were fired for drunken behavior (for example) while away for a business conference that occurred outside of normal work hours.
EDIT TO ADD: (Not directed specifically to you) It amazes me how many people think an employer must have "cause" or "just cause" to terminate an employee. This mentality is the reason why so many incompetent employees remain employed while their supervisors sit with their thumbs up their asses bitching about them. Most employees, in most states, are "at-will." At-will employees can be fired for any reason or no reason at all, so long as it is not an illegal reason. So, if you do something stupid and make an ass of yourself, your employer absolutely has the right to fire you (with exceedingly small exceptions).
If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die I want to go where they went. - Will Rogers
Emery's Third Coast Triathlon | Tri Wisconsin Triathlon Team | Push Endurance | GLWR