Facebook Photos Cause Woman to Lose Insurance

A Quebec woman on long-term sick leave said she lost her insurance benefits after posting vacation photos on Facebook showing her at the beach, at a nightclub and at her birthday party. ( See one of the beach photos. )

According to CBC , Nathalie Blanchard, 29, has been on leave from her job at IBM for the last year and a half after she was diagnosed with major depression. She was receiving monthly sick-leave benefits from her insurance company, Manulife, but those payments stopped recently.

When Blanchard contacted the company, she said they told her that "[She's] available to work, because of Facebook."

The insurance company said the photos demonstrated that she was no longer suffering from depression. Blanchard said that she informed the company that she was going on vacation and her doctor encouraged her to have fun.

About the photos she told CBC that, "In the moment I'm happy, but before and after I have the same problems" as before.

Blanchard, who is fighting to have her benefits reinstated, also wonders how the company accessed her Facebook photos as she has her privacy setting as to only allow people she approves to see what she posts on her profile.

The company confirmed that it uses Facebook to investigate clients, CBC reported .

A teacher from Barrow, Ga. is suing the school district after she allegedly was forced to resign over photos and expletives posted on her Facebook profile. Ashley Payne, 24, contends that the principal made her resign after receiving an anonymous e-mail about the online posts.

Also Careerbuilder.com reported that an increasing numbers of employers are checking out potential employees' social networking profiles.