Employers can of course monitor an employee’s use of social media in the
workplace (subject to telling them that will happen) and if there is excessive use,
then they can be disciplined as long as the extent of any permitted use is clearly
defined in a relevant policy. That is well illustrated by the case of Grant & Ross
v Mitie Property Services (UK) Limited. In that case, two sisters were dismissed
from their employment for accessing non work related internet sites during
working hours. They brought proceedings for unfair dismissal and won. The
factors the Tribunal considered relevant were: