Libel and Slander

Slander is defined as verbally making false and damaging statements about another person. It is a civil offense often remedied through a lawsuit in civil court. Libel is defined as making a written statement that is false and damaging about another person. These lawsuits generally ascribe financial harm to the act.

It is based on the commandment “Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor”. Slander is often used to attack candidates running for public office. I would ban attack ads and insist on full disclosure of positions on real issues.

I was aware of the damage libel and slander could do as I worked as a Personnel Director for decades and had to get references and give references. When I called for a reference, I would describe the job I was filling and share why I was interested in the applicant and ask if that made sense. The person giving the reference was put at ease, so a real conversation could take place. I also kept all of this confidential. When I gave a reference I would ask the caller about the job they were trying to fill so we could discuss relevant skills. Reference calls allow us to confirm the accuracy of resumes and observations. Employers are expected to be thorough in avoiding hiring errors and workforces expect this. Employers are also required to respect employee privacy and handle employee issues with discretion.

There are always disagreements about who should be allowed to hire employees and who they should hire or retain. I believed that hiring managers need to do the hiring and firing. Personnel’s role is to handle recruiting, interviewing, reference checking and assessment advice and training for hiring managers. I rarely had to veto hiring managers’ choices, but keeping out troublemakers, gossips and gamers is a Personnel responsibility.

Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader