Final answer:
Employees can post information about their wages and working conditions online under the protection of federal statute, specifically the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Other types of information such as trade secrets, customer lists, or defamatory statements are not protected by this statute and could be legally consequential for employees.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks: What kind of information can employees post online under the protection of federal statute? The answer is c) Wages and working conditions. Federal law, particularly the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), protects the rights of employees to discuss wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment. This protection extends to certain online activities such as posting on social media. In contrast, trade secrets, customer lists, and defamatory statements are generally not protected and could result in legal consequences for employees. For example, trade secrets are protected under the Economic Espionage Act, and sharing them can lead to criminal charges. Similarly, customer lists could contain proprietary or confidential information that companies protect fiercely. Lastly, making defamatory statements could lead to a civil lawsuit for damage to reputation.