Social Media Policy

Absolutely no social media may be used during working hours. This is in line with Zen’s Cell Phone Usage policy, above. Outside of working hours, Zen respects the legal rights of its employees and understands that employees’ time outside of work is their own. However, educators should be mindful that their social media activity, even if done off premises and while off-duty, could affect Zen’s legitimate business interests; and, could affect your perceived performance as an educator amongst

fellow staff and students. In addition, some readers may mistakenly view an employee as a spokesperson for Zen or the assigned School. Consequently, social media activity is a legitimate and proper focus of Company policy.

For purposes of this Policy, “social media activity” includes all types of posts and other communications on the internet, including but not limited to, posts on social networking sites, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Google+; blogs and other on-line journals and diaries; bulletin boards and chat rooms; microblogging, such as X (formerly Twitter); and posts of photographs, video or audio on media-sharing sites, such as YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, or Flickr. “Social media activity” also includes permitting, or failing to remove, posts by others where the employee can control the content of posts, such as on a personal page or blog.

Scope Of This Policy

This Social Media policy applies:

  • To all Zen employees;
  • To social media activity for business or personal purposes;
  • To social media activity while on or off duty, when on or off Zen’s premises, and while using Zen’s personal electronic resources;
  • To social media activity that relates in any way to, or may reflect on or impact, Zen’s business, employees, customers, business partners, vendors, suppliers or competitors; and
  • Regardless of whether an employee identifies their affiliation with Zen in their social media activity or in their account profile or posts anonymously or using a pseudonym.

Guidelines

Zen values its established brand reputation and goodwill relationships. These are important corporate assets. When an employee engages in social media activity that identifies them as a Company employee, or in any way relates to, or reflects on, Zen, they should bear that in mind and follow the guidelines listed below:

  • Strictly no social media during working hours. Social media should not be accessed during working hours. They should not be discussed or shared with students and the staff at schools.
  • No contact with students or parents via social media. Educators may not contact or engage with students or parents via social media. If contacted by social media by students or parents, educators should not respond and should contact their Account Manager or the Zen Support Team at 213-516-6054 or email help@zeneducate.com.
  • Know and follow the rules. An employee’s social media activity is subject to all pertinent Company policies, including, but not limited to, the Confidential Company Information, Equal Employment Opportunity, Sexual and Other Prohibited Harassment, Standards of Conduct, Business Equipment and Information Systems Usage Policy, and other personal conduct policies.
  • Express only personal opinions. Employees should not represent in any social media content that they are authorized to speak on Zen’s behalf, or that Zen has reviewed or approved their content. Employees should not represent in any social media content that they are authorized to speak on behalf of any clients or related parties of Zen, or that these parties have reviewed or approved their content. If that will not be obvious from the content or context of their post, the employee should put in their post “#notanofficialspokesperson” or state in their account profile or post, “The views expressed in this post are my own. They have not been reviewed or approved by Zen Educate.”
  • Be respectful. Employees should not post content about, or any image of, Zen, management, co-workers, customers, or vendors that is vulgar, obscene, threatening, knowingly or recklessly false, hateful, or a violation of Zen’s policies against discrimination, harassment, or hostility on account of age, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, ethnicity, nationality, disability, or other protected class, status, or characteristic. Employees should not disparage Zen’s products or services, or the products or services of its vendors or competitors.
  • Use of company logo. Employees should not use Zen’s logo, trademark or proprietary graphics in a way that suggests they are representing Zen or while engaging in conduct that violates Company policy. For example, employees should not create a social media page with Zen’s logo placed in a way that might suggest to readers that Zen is sponsoring the page.
  • Protect confidential business information. Employees should not disclose or post images or videos of any of Zen trade secrets or confidential business information or of any confidential business or manufacturing processes. Trade secrets may include information regarding the development of systems, processes, products, know-how and technology. Confidential business information may include, but is not limited to, marketing strategies, product launches, pricing policies; plans for the acquisition or disposition of corporate assets, non-public information about customers, and Zen’s attorney-client communications
  • References. All requests for references or recommendations received through social media activity must be handled in accordance with Zen’s policy on responding to these requests. This policy does not apply to LinkedIn endorsements.

Addressing Concerns

Experience demonstrates that employees are more likely to resolve concerns about work by speaking directly with their co-workers, supervisor or other management-level personnel, or by contacting their Account Manager, than by posting those concerns on the internet. If an employee decides to express concerns in social media, they should avoid using any content that reasonably could be viewed as malicious, obscene, or threatening; or that might constitute prohibited harassment or bullying. Please note that some Company policies, such as the Sexual and Other Prohibited Harassment policy, contain specific reporting procedures that should be followed by employees seeking to report violations of those policies.

Enforcement

Failure to comply with this Policy may lead to discipline, up to and including termination of employment, and if appropriate, Zen will pursue all available legal remedies.

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