Can I be fired for a face book conversation

Did the associate find the comments you made harmful or offensive? Was it more than just a stray remark? Do you have some history with this associate either confrontationally, personally, or otherwise? You need a consultation with an employment lawyer immediately! Here's the problem you face today. You state that "this same associate had harassed me sexually in the store." Does not your employer have policies and procedures that your duty as an employee includes promptly reporting sexually harassing conduct to HR or someone else immediately? Sometimes they call it zero tolerance. If so, why did you not do so? Employees in today's workplace who observe or experience or hear hostile comments or behavior and do not report that at a zero tolerance workplace may be signing their own termination papers for not complying with policies and procedures if the conduct is severe or pervasive. In our environment today everything that even smells hostile or offensive should be reported and the first person to do so might be the winner, absent a decent defense strategy. Lawyer up.