Defamation and Gossip in the Workplace

Full Video Transcript

Workplace gossip is all too common — and most of us have participated in it at some point. But if gossip crosses the line, it may be considered defamation. In general, defamation occurs when false statements are made about someone, which are presented as truth, and result in injury to the subject of the gossip. The false statement can be spoken, written, or even communicated through email. Defamation exposes the victim to ridicule and shame and can cause damage to that person’s reputation or occupation – even to the point of being fired from a job. Proving defamation can be tricky, as not all statements are defamatory. For instance, opinions about someone, even negative ones, don’t usually constitute defamation. In order to prove defamation, it must be shown that the defamer knew the information they were spreading was false, but still claimed it as fact.