As the United States presidential election nears, employers are likely to see more employees expressing their political views, engaging in political activity, and requesting leave to vote or to cast their absentee ballot. Here are some points to consider as you prepare for these situations.
Political Discussions:
First Amendment Protections
Employees don’t have the same First Amendment protections inside the workplace as they do outside. In the private sector, employers generally have more latitude to impose reasonable restrictions on political discussions during work time. Employees, however, may have greater protections when they’re off-duty.
