Meet Delaware lawyer, Brian Zulberti.
According to his website, back in 2013, after getting his DE bar license, Mr. Zulberti emailed every Delaware lawyer asking for information about job openings. In each email, he included this photo of himself in a sleeveless t-shirt.
Mr. Zulberti claims that this mass email, coupled with a subsequent story written in Above The Law, made him a “global internet sensation.”
Although still licensed to practice law, Mr. Zulberti does hot have any clients. Instead, he recently launched his 2014 “Take Our Social Lives Back” Tour, which he describes as involving “meeting Americans all over the nation who are frustrated with employers stalking their social media accounts, destroying their social lives, and forcing them into conforming with outdated, conservative principles.”
As part of this campaign, three days ago, Mr. Zulberti began a hunger strike.
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As I type this post on Wednesday night, Mr. Zulberti sits in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, where he has gone just over three days without food.
According to his website, the hunger strike will end in either “Coverage” or “Death.” That is he claims that he will start eating again “When A Major National Television Network Agrees To Give Him 90 Seconds Of Prime Time, Weeknight Coverage.”
Or he’ll die.
Mr. Zulberti’s message is simple: As long as they are not breaking the law, employees should be able to post what they want online — including content that is “tasteless, hateful, or racist” — without any workplace repercussions.
While I do believe that employees should enjoy a fair amount of latitude when it comes to online content, the problem is that this content can permeate the workplace. This could prove especially problematic where the online speech is “tasteless, hateful, or racist.” Indeed, just because this speech may not technically violate the law, it could still impact how managers, co-workers, and customers perceive this employee and, therefore, adversely impact the business.
So, no. While I do admire Mr. Zulberti’s zeal, I don’t fully subscribe to his message.
What do you think? Let me know in the comments below.