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6.26.2009

using twitter on the job will get you fired

For those using Twitter while on the job, here's a cautionary tale... The D.C. Department of Employment Services fired a contractor, David Le, who was working with youths in the city's summer jobs program after officials became aware of an excess of Twitter messages while he was working: D.C. Summer Jobs Contractor Fired for Posts on Twitter.

Le, who was working as a participant service specialist, was terminated yesterday. It wasn't just the large number of Tweets. It was the stupid, lame and offensive messages he was posting while he was apparently supposed to be working; messages about lame work was, how little he was working, and how "ghetto" the area he was working in was. Some of his greatest hits:
davidle630: "thank goodness my boss is making things easy, he told me to pretend to do work so he can mark me down for hours...

davidle630: "one of the schools I am in charge of is Anacostia HS. If you are from here, you know ANACOSTIA... about 100+ murders in one year..."

davidle630: "They decided to just pay us for 40 hours a week bc we are too lazy to sign in and out..."

davidle630: "In americas ghetto anacostia... If i get scared i will just yell chinese carry out! They will not shoot me."

davidle630: This 40 year old woman pulled up next to me and said 'Ayyy yo can i ride wit chu?'"
Not too smart. The firing came a day after The Washington Post showed a spokesperson for the Mayor's office a month-long string of tweets from Le's page. Yes, David. This might come as a shock, but what you post on the internet can be seen everyone. More here: Lazy, Racist Twitter Slob Fired From D.C. Summer Jobs.