George Ladoff is a frequent Facebook user. He is an ardent supporter of a partic

Question

George Ladoff is a frequent Facebook user. He is an ardent supporter of a particular political party, and he has posted many comments deriding the candidates and platforms of the opposing political party.

Ladoff is interviewing for a position with a plastics recycling firm. The firm's human resources director, Lorraine Feeley, has scanned social media to find out as much as she can about Ladoff before the firm makes him an offer. Feeley doesn't like what she sees on Ladoff's Facebook page and determines that he will not be a good fit with the company. She sends him a message letting him know the company has decided to go in a different direction.

Is Feeley's research of Ladoff's social media accounts fair and legal? Is she discriminating against Ladoff on the grounds of his politics?

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Explanation / Answer

This depends on whether Feeley's decision is based on the political stance which Ladoff is taking, or the manner in which Ladoff is conveying his political stance.

If Feeley believes that Ladoff shows little tolerance towards people holding opposing viewpoints, then she is right in rejecting him. Since Ladoff has been deriding his opponents, this seems to be the most likely case. However, if the derision is constructive and based on verifiable facts, then Feeley is wrong in rejecting Ladoff.

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