Can my company take legal action…?

My supervisor quit about one month ago, two weeks after she quit about 6 of us got together and went out for drink with her…we did not discus any work related information, we were just catching up on our personal lives. About two weeks later the person who took her place confronted one of us telling that person that we had signed a confidentiality agreement with the company (we did) and that the company was planning on seeking legal action on all six of us for going out after working ours with a former coworker. Is this possible…can they tell us what to do after 5pm?
Additional Details
sarge927...JUDY saids "employment at will lets them fire you for pretty much any reason unless it's a reason protected by law (like gender or race) - associating with someone is not protected, and firing you for that would not legally be wrongful termination." is this true?

sarge927

They can take action against you, but if they try to take you to court the burden of proof is on the company to show that you somehow violated the confidentiality agreement. The simple answer is: No, the company cannot forbid you from going out with co-workers after hours, but they can forbid you from talking about company business if you do. Assuming you didn't discuss anything work-related, your company doesn't have a case. If they were to fire you for it, you could take THEM to court for wrongful termination.

Empanada

Confidentiality agreements don't apply solely to working hours. If they have reason to believe that you divulged some proprietary information to your former supervisor that she didn't already know, then they could pursue "legal action". But it would be their responsibility to prove it. It sounds more like your new supervisor had some bad blood with the previous or perhaps the previous supervisor did something questionable and they were considering suing her already. I'd go to your supervisor's supervisor and ask for details as your new supervisor might just be using his position to make personal threats. Either way I'd consider working elsewhere.

Advisory Service

In our company policy, it is stated that we can't communicate with a ex-employee until 1 year is up.

However, this is a unconstitutional because you have the freedom of speech on the ground of being friend and common talk. You didn't disclosed any private information but the company will try to put pressure on you.

Tell your new employee to get out of your way. It obvious that the new employee like to be a nosey person and which maybe the reason why "he or she" the bringer of bad news.

dkgroce

Unless it states in the confidentiality agreement that you cannot socialize with former employees, its ok. The burden of proof that you talked about company matters is on them. Dont sweat it but start looking for another job. They will fire you over anything now.

Good Luck

almcneilcan

HOGWASH!! In fact, this new supervisor is doing something illegal: PROFESSIONAL HARASSMENT!

The new supervisor is either lying or has some kind of twisted, paranoid attitude. I don't need to explain that what you and your coworkers did was perfectly above board. The new supervisor is acting weird and for now, just ignore her threat. If she persists, you and the coworkers speak to her manager about her threats. It's totally stupid and could be grounds for professional harassment.

Nicole R

I would think as long as you did not discuss work matters, what you do in your personal time is your business.

Judy

As long as you didn't discuss any company business, you should be OK on the confidentiality agreement. But if they tell you not to associate with her out of work and you do and they find out, they might fire you - employment at will lets them fire you for pretty much any reason unless it's a reason protected by law (like gender or race) - associating with someone is not protected, and firing you for that would not legally be wrongful termination.

mario_wwe

if you guys were just talkin about personal life and not about work related stuff i dont see why they would take legal actions, is pretty dumb really, your supervisor is just trying to scare you but if your supervisor does take legal action is a easy win for you cause there was no talk about work or anything, plus what you do after hours is your business not theirs, they cant tell you what to do after work

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