Business steps up employee tracking measures through social media

As the use of social media continues to rise among individuals, so too does it for employers who are increasingly using the sites for employee tracking. Particularly in hiring, it could be a candidate's personal Facebook page or Twitter account that undoes a potential hiring relationship, writes Insurance Journal.

In many cases, employers may do criminal and credit background checks, but Insurance Journal states that companies are using social media as a "arms-length third party" source for personal information. One California-based company has even created a business out of helping employers in such searches.

Social Intelligence helps employers track employees and candidates by review social media pages, blogs and other internet activity.

"Today essentially all companies in the Fortune 500 do some form of a criminal background check. I don't see this as any different," Max Drucker, founder and CEO of Social Intelligence, told Business Journal. "You have an obligation to your existing workforce and your customers to not make negligent hires."

Employees, however, do have one method of defense. In November, the National Labor Relations Board announced that employees do not lose protections under the National Labor Relations Act, prohibiting their dismissal for premeditated though disparaging comments about employers on social media pages.