SUBREDDIT: r/AskReddit
TITLE: Reddit, I work in retail. Is this legal?
POST: I work in a popular clothing store in Oregon. Today, my store manager comes up to every employee and has them sign a "retraining document" stating that "texting/talking about work outside of work may be grounds for termination." I immediately questioned WHY such a thing would happen. She said it was because she doesn't want gossip about work (I work with mostly early 20something women). I said there was no way she could ever have proof that people were texting about work, since going into our phones would be an invasion of privacy. To be honest, I got a little short with her because I still couldn't fathom why this was a rule.

After the conversation, another employee who had asked about this rule came up to me and said that my manager implied that since I was questioning, I'm probably a culprit of this gossip. I don't own any coworkers phone numbers, and I don't hang out with them outside of work. I even got a talking-to about my "attitude problem." Mind you, this manager is notoriously blunt and I told her that her tone is very harsh most of the time.
TL;DR: 
Is it legal to fire someone because they were talking about work, *outside* of work?  I understand that some companies are now asking for Facebook passwords and whatnot to monitor activity, which I still think is ridiculous.