Employers might not be able to ban political speech nor even desire to do so, but they can draft policies on civil discourse and acceptable workplace conduct. Heated political arguments are not only divisive among employees who must work together, they can also lower moral and productivity.
There is also legal precedent for employers being able to fire employees on the basis of what an employer may consider a vulgar expression of belief, even if those beliefs are expressed outside of normal work hours. Especially given the rise of social media platforms that puts workers’ opinions and political activities into the spotlight, employers may need to clarify their values in order to ensure employees are on the same page.
