The pandemic has prompted widespread reassessment of lifestyles and careers. Some call it the “Great Resignation”, others the “Great Re-evaluation”.
For those with client-facing roles where clients are their career currency, this re-evaluation should not ignore the question of who owns LinkedIn connections and what happens to them when employment ends.
LinkedIn is a social media platform for the business community, the purpose of which is to build a professional network of connections.
Most employers encourage their employees to create and use their own personal account to develop business and connect with clients.
Whilst LinkedIn’s user agreement states the account belongs to the user, employees should not assume the same applies to their connections.
Virtual working has led employers to tighten up contracts to protect client relationships.
Given relationships are so often the product of significant time and investment, the law permits the employer to protect them within reasonable limits.
Controversially, employment contracts or settlement agreements increasingly state that LinkedIn connections are the employer’s property and that employees must delete them when they leave.
Employees would be well-advised to resist such provisions at the outset of employment, especially if they attempt to capture pre-existing connections.
Some contracts contain more general prohibitions stopping employees from taking client contact details, which could capture LinkedIn connections.
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