Life, liberty, office gossip

Gossip, according to a Decatur technical college that tried to ban it, “can drain, corrupt, distract and down-shift the company’s productivity, moral, and overall satisfaction.”

Maybe so. But telling employees they can’t gossip is a big, fat legal no-no.

That’s what a National Labor Relations Board administrative judge ruled after Laurus Technical Institute fired an employee for engaging in workplace gossip.

So feel free to continue dishing on your cubicle mate, speculating on the peculiar hobbies of that guy down in personnel and — most especially — grousing about management.

On the other hand, remember that your coworkers have the same freedom to talk about you.

That’s enough to keep Atlanta-based educational consultant Janise Baldwin-Brewer from joining in office gossip.

“I worked for a job where everyone’s personal business was aired in the hallways as soon as the boss left the office,” Baldwin-Brewer said. “I say if it does not pertain to my work assignment, I don’t want to hear it.”