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Teen sacked after saying her job was 'boring' on Facebook

8:00am Thursday 26th February 2009


A TEENAGE office worker has been fired for branding her job boring on Facebook.

Kimberley Swann’s comment on the social networking website cost her job as an office administrator at Ivell Marketing & Logistics in Clacton.

Union leaders have defended the 16-year-old by saying snooping on personal conversations is unhealthy and urged employers to grow thicker skins.

Miss Swann, 16, was handed a letter informing her she was being sacked when her bosses found out about it.

The letter said: “Following your comments made on Facebook about your job and the company we feel it is better that, as you are not happy and do not enjoy your work we end your employment with Ivell Marketing & Logistics with immediate effect.”

Stephen Ivell, owner of Ivell Marketing Logistics, said the Stephenson Road West company has done everything by the book.

He said: “It is just a shame that it did not work out because she is a lovely girl.

“For a small company, when a decision is made, one thinks long and hard about it.”

He said he was unable to comment on whether Miss Swann had been involved in the decision-making process.

He added: “I am very comfortable that we have not made a bad decision.“ Miss Swann, of Clacton, said she was shocked to be taken into the office on a Monday morning and told she was being sacked because of the Facebook comments.

She said: “I did not even put the company's name, I just put that my job was boring.

“They were just being nosy, going through everything. I think it is really sad, it makes them look stupid that they are going to be so petty.

“I was an office administrator, so of course it was boring at first, and I knew it would get more interesting.

“I was happy there, although they said I was not.

“It is not fair, I think it is really out of order, but there is nothing I can do.”

Her mother Janette Swann, added: “I think it is disgusting.

“The company did not even approach her and ask her to explain herself.

“It is not nice to look back on Facebook and report something that is personal.

“It should not be allowed.”

Brendan Barber, TUC general secretary, said: “Most employers wouldn't dream of following their staff down the pub to see if they were sounding off about work to their friends.

“Just because snooping on personal conversations is possible these days, doesn’t make it healthy.

“Employees need to be more aware of how they protect their privacy online, and employers need to recognise they employ real people, not robots and should grow slightly thicker skins.

“Employers and employees need to sit down together, through unions or other consultations, and work out a reasonable policy on what is expected of staff in their conduct online.”


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Your Say YourColchester

Nobnee, Elmstead Market says...
8:37am Thu 26 Feb 09

Big brother is watching us......

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Myrtle, Great Clacton says...
8:46am Thu 26 Feb 09

Good grief , I said on Facebook that I had just eaten a chocolate eclair ,now I'm hiding behind the sofa in case the scarey lady from Weight Watchers has read it.
Seriously though, how many of us have moaned about our jobs to freinds ?.What next , intercepting phone calls ,listening in at windows.This is not fair on the lass,give her a break EVERYTHING is boring to a 16 year old.

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Citizen 139, Colchester says...
8:49am Thu 26 Feb 09

"Big brother is watching us......"

How is it big brother? She wrote the comment on a publicly viewable website.

I would have fired her too. Stupid girl.


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Squabbly, Brightlingsea says...
8:50am Thu 26 Feb 09

Steven Ivell, what a pathetic little man you are. What a pillock too. You have only made yourself look a complete fool. If you were a half decent employer you would be able to rise above the girls comments. If her job really was boring you would make some improvements. If you were a half decent employer that is. Which you obviously aren't.

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Say It As It Is OK?, From Colchester says...
9:11am Thu 26 Feb 09

He seems to be a very small minded employer, but I wonder if there is much more to this story than we are being told!

Has he advertised the job vacancy? I doubt it and I doubt if he will.

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hughie-s, Here says...
9:47am Thu 26 Feb 09

Agree with you Say it, must be more to it that what we are told in the story.

It would appear she did not receive a verbal warning followed by a written warning which makes me ask was she a temp rather than a staff member?



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vicar, East Clacton says...
10:47am Thu 26 Feb 09

For the first time in my life I find myself desperately wishing that I was a customer of Ivell Marketing & Logistics in Clacton so that I could take my custom elsewhere and tell them why.
Whoever said, "There is no such thing as bad publicity", didn't work in marketing and logistics

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Jessie@hotmail.com, colchester says...
10:50am Thu 26 Feb 09

well done steve, i totally support your actions, i am myself envolved in runnning a small family run buisness, and like your self try to create a happy working atmosphere within the company all be it some jobs may be boring and in this stress full climate its a shame that the girl cannot respect her employer given her the oppotunity of work. and in regards to one of the comments listed on this site i had noticed that you had re advertised the postition elsewere, all the best for the future.

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Sdapeze, sdapeze@aol.com says...
10:53am Thu 26 Feb 09

Good for you Steve. Find another employee with a better attitude. Nobody needs an employee like that. Their attitude is passed on to others and customers will get a bad impression too.

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doomocha, clacton says...
11:23am Thu 26 Feb 09

I couldn’t agree with Steve’s decision more. He has given a young local girl a great opportunity to grow with a successful and highly regarded international company. How did she repay him? By immediately putting on her Facebook status that she hated her job and that it was boring. She would had to have requests her boss as a friend on Facebook. So therefore, to then make detrimental comments about the job he just gave her is a lack of respect and idiocy. Give job to someone who deserves it.

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Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
11:31am Thu 26 Feb 09

Did Mr. Ivell just chance upon Kimberley's comments or has he been perving over her Facebook pages for sometime?

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The Enforcer, Colchester says...
1:13pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Take it to a tribunal Miss Swan. You will win easily. I hope the business ends up liquidated. See how they like being out of work. Most people think their job is boring. Saying it on a social networking site does"nt count as Gross Misconduct.

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Shambolic, Colchester says...
1:25pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Who's to say that those backing that weirdo boss (spying on his employees out of hours - yeuch!)aren't just more of his gang frightened they'll lose their jobs if they don't cry 'hail to the Chief' I think he'll find he has a lot less clients once this gets around!

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Sidney Harbour-Bridge, Colchester says...
2:07pm Thu 26 Feb 09

I support Mr Ivell, this girl probably wasn't motivated, came in as late as possible, went home as early as possible, took as long as possible for lunch and did as little as possible in between. Come to think of it, she should be amply qualified to work for the council.

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gabe, colchester says...
2:07pm Thu 26 Feb 09

You're better off out of it girl at least you know where you stand.

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bruce67, prettygate says...
2:14pm Thu 26 Feb 09

There must be more to this than reported on here!

Most people find their jobs boring and comment to that effect on facebook ~ hardly a sackable offense!

I love my job its very exciting and my company are the best i have ever worked for...i praise them on facebook every day!

(what do you mean sarcastic?)fingers crossed!)


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Flip Flop, Copford says...
2:27pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Remembering I only have the information reported: Please Please Please, if anyone is reading this and deals with this company, sack them now. Facebook is for friends and sharing comments and pictures not for snooping, sneeky, tail telling little untrustworthy jobsworths to spy on their colleagues and employees. Does anyone know anyone who hasn't at some point said their job is boaring? It may only be for a day but most people have said it. I feel very sorry for the other employees of Ivell Marketing & Logistics in Clacton. Watch your backs and jump ship ASAP!

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Gerry Atric, Wherever needs be says...
2:52pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Feisty CBC wrote:
Did Mr. Ivell just chance upon Kimberley's comments or has he been perving over her Facebook pages for sometime?
Good comment feisty.

you just never know do you!

the only answer is not to post on cr*p sites like facebook, but the "wierdo`s" can read anything on any site and post detremental comments like frankenstein and SD does....with or without the propa shcpelin........lol
watch your backs guy`s for the wierdo`s it seems then...ha..ha..ha..

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hughie-s, Here says...
2:55pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Well Kimberley has ensured her 15 minutes of fame, already on the Telegraph website and no doubt the tabloids will pick up on it when someone who can read arrives in the office;)

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doomocha, clacton says...
3:15pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Come on guys, I'm not getting this. She is on probation if she's only been there 3 weeks. The boss is entitled to fire her for picking her nose he he wants. It's a buyers market and it's the boses right to hire the best person for the job.

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Sidney Harbour-Bridge, Colchester says...
4:05pm Thu 26 Feb 09

In order to view other people's information on Facebook you have to contact them first and be accepted (by them) as a friend. There's no way you can look at other peoples profiles without doing this. Those of you that accuse Ivell, I suggest you try it and see for yourself. As far as I am concerned, she only has herself to blame on a number of counts.

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northwesten, Paris, Maine says...
4:08pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Why have they Stooped so low? and completely out of order. Job can be boring but doesn't mean you not working as hard. This was only done just to say money or they just been bitchy about it. Also what's happened to a freedom of speech? People can't say something like this because they get fired? what a joke!


This was done in the UK they would of got sued and fined hard for this behavior!

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northwesten, Paris, Maine says...
4:10pm Thu 26 Feb 09

oop just noticed it is in the UK. forgetting UK doesn't have freedom of speech! lol

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Shadow Demon, Colchester says...
6:43pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Gerry Atric wrote:
Feisty CBC wrote:
Did Mr. Ivell just chance upon Kimberley's comments or has he been perving over her Facebook pages for sometime?
Good comment feisty.

you just never know do you!

the only answer is not to post on cr*p sites like facebook, but the "wierdo`s" can read anything on any site and post detremental comments like frankenstein and SD does....with or without the propa shcpelin........lol
watch your backs guy`s for the wierdo`s it seems then...ha..ha..ha..
Well done Mr Ivell in the current climate no company can afford to carry members of staff who haven't got their heart in the job.

If people want to post things on websites for the whole world to see then perhaps they should think before they type (maybe you should try that too Ivan)

As for the comments regarding Mr Ivell operating some kind of sinister stalking of his staff I think you'll all find it was probably a case of another of her colleagues bringing it to the attention of the company.

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Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
8:39pm Thu 26 Feb 09

Shadow Demon wrote:
Gerry Atric wrote: Feisty CBC wrote: Did Mr. Ivell just chance upon Kimberley's comments or has he been perving over her Facebook pages for sometime?Good comment feisty. you just never know do you! the only answer is not to post on cr*p sites like facebook, but the OMG it sounds as though the whole company is riddled with stalkers and the suchlike :(

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Boris, Colchester says...
2:59am Fri 27 Feb 09

It seems a pity the employer could not have just given the girl a good bollocking and a written warning that criticism of the company would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, if this girl had been a union member she could have got them to represent her. But as others have said, she was possibly only a temp. At 16, she can't have been there long, so she could not claim unfair dismissal at a tribunal.
Anyway, let's hope others learn from this episode, be careful what you say on sites like Facebook.

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hughie-s, Here says...
7:46am Fri 27 Feb 09

Having just Googled
Clacton "Kimberley Swann" Ivell

it looks as if this young lady has really put herself in the spotlight - worldwide

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MrsWonder, London says...
8:45am Fri 27 Feb 09

Welcome to the real world, girlie. All of us have times when we're less happy with our jobs than at others. However, most of us have enough sense not to criticise either the job or our employers on the internet with our full name available for the world to see.

You had three weeks in the job, and that was your chance to make your mark. What a shame you chose to do it in this way. I suspect there's more to this story anyway than simply being discovered making comments about your employment on Facebook. Unfortunately, you gave your employer hard evidence that you weren't the right person for the job. There are many people losing their jobs at the moment, so your employers won't be short of candidates to replace you. That's something to bear in mind when you get your next job. It's a hard lesson to learn at 16, but it's one worth taking in.

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Jo Churchill, Colchester says...
8:47am Fri 27 Feb 09

Steve Ivell is a bully - always has been, think he has "small man syndrome". I worked for him many many years ago in one of his other company (he has had many - all gone bust).
Speaks to his staff as if they are a piece of S**t. He has nothing just loads of Judgments against his name.

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MrsWonder, London says...
8:53am Fri 27 Feb 09

Sidney Harbour-Bridge wrote:
In order to view other people's information on Facebook you have to contact them first and be accepted (by them) as a friend. There's no way you can look at other peoples profiles without doing this. Those of you that accuse Ivell, I suggest you try it and see for yourself. As far as I am concerned, she only has herself to blame on a number of counts.
I agree with you. I bet either another employee knew of her Facebook site & was already listed as one of her friends, or someone else knew of the messages and tipped the boss off, as he couldn't have known of that amount of detail any other way. Bigger fool her for being so public about her opinions, verbally or in writing.

According to what I've read, she wrote on Facebook that the job was "dull" on 2 Feb, was even harsher about it the next day and on 19 Feb she was "so totaly bord!!!" Who wants an employee like that? There are a lot of other people to choose from.

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miss_may, Slough says...
9:04am Fri 27 Feb 09

I know many of you are saying Steve Ivell is a bully for sacking her but how many of you would employ her now?
She's an idiot for saying that in the current state of the economy. Her parentsmust be proud.

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Poacher, Clacton says...
9:51am Fri 27 Feb 09

Mmmmmmmmmmmm hang on a second, who owns the company?

Mr Ivell does so surely its up to him who he wants working for him?

Personally if someone had their boss in the friend list on their Facebook account and then slagged the company off then they deserve what they get for being plain stupid alone!

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Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
10:05am Fri 27 Feb 09

Jo Churchill wrote:
Steve Ivell is a bully - always has been, think he has I take it you won't be applying for Samantha's job then Jo? pmsl

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Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
10:06am Fri 27 Feb 09

Jo Churchill wrote:
Steve Ivell is a bully - always has been, think he has I take it you won't be applying for Kimberley's job then Jo? pmsl

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Feisty CBC, Colchester says...
10:13am Fri 27 Feb 09

Ooops lol

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MrsWonder, London says...
10:48am Fri 27 Feb 09

The Enforcer wrote:
Take it to a tribunal Miss Swan. You will win easily. I hope the business ends up liquidated. See how they like being out of work. Most people think their job is boring. Saying it on a social networking site does"nt count as Gross Misconduct.
No she wouldn't. She'd been there under a month, which means she couldn't go to a tribunal for unfair or wrongful dismissal. The girl has now learned that getting a job doesn't mean you get to keep it if you show yourself to be daft and/or ignorant of the law.

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damo66a, Clacton says...
2:51pm Fri 27 Feb 09

Not the sharpest tool in the toolbox - that maybe so, using facebook in work time - fair enough.

But to get sacked for saying you've had a boring day? I don't think that's fair or as a matter of fact, legal. Majority of companies have rules whereby you are not supposed to bring your private life into work or to have it interfere with the company, yet, it is ok for them to involve YOUR private life with work when they see fit. This person, didn't even mention the companies name.

In this current climate it is hard enough to get a job in the first place without sacking someone for simply saying a job is boring or that theyve had a boring day. I mean, who hasn't at some point throughout their entire employment said they are bored? I think, given how young the employee is and the context of what was said possibly a written warning would have sufficed.

I also agree with the persons parent, Clacton IS boring, I aint gonna get kicked out of my house for saying so am I!

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Say It As It Is OK?, From Colchester says...
3:53pm Fri 27 Feb 09

Even Look East have picked up on this thread which is now very getting boring!

Ooops, Should I have said that?

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what the heck, Clacton on Sea says...
8:35pm Fri 27 Feb 09

Nobnee wrote:
Big brother is watching us......
Mr Ivell thinks he is above everyone it's not the first time he has treated his staff badly nor sadly will it be the last as he always seems to get away with it. Kimberley I know it's not nice to be out of work but thank you luckly stars you dont work for this man any more he's not worth your working for.

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Gideon Smythe, Wivenhoe says...
4:29pm Sat 28 Feb 09

Just in case my work colleagues are reading this...

I'm surrounded by gin and hookers. Just like every weekend.

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Gerry Atric, Wherever needs be says...
9:10pm Sat 28 Feb 09

Oh Gideon, you have burst my bubble now.
How did we know you worked at the gazette........
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(me now ducking and running for cover--- i meant the gazette public house !)...lol

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blinky, colchester says...
3:05am Sun 1 Mar 09

sometimes in life we can be severely let-down by our 'friends'.someone seeking 'brownie-points' to advance their career.

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Gideon Smythe, Wivenhoe says...
2:21pm Sun 1 Mar 09

Ah yes, The Gazette public house.

Used to be my local but then the landlord moved it to Basildon.

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xxBabyGirlxx, Marks Tey says...
7:48pm Mon 2 Mar 09

All of you that keep saying that you can not see peoples profiles on facebook unless you are a friend...that is not true! Only if you have privicy settings on it is when people cant see your info unless you except them as a friend! Get your facts right before saying anything and I think it is ridiculous we all obviously are not allowed personal lives out of work!

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