I’m wanting to make my voice heard, but I’m worried that my company may dislike my lack of neutrality on some situations.
My company does some federal contracting, but I’m not directly involved in those ventures.
Could attending non-violent protests and sending emails to my congresspeople put my job at stake? Or is this protected speech?
Don’t email from work.
Depending on the state your rights vary if in the US.
But be warned they can find a different reason to fire you based on those limited rights.
If you’re in a union, you have additional protections.
If you’re forming a union you also have additional protections.
Don’t use work systems at all when doing this activity.
Don’t take any work devices with you if you go in person to any of these activities.
If you have a work profile on your personal device shut the phone off or disable work apps/profile by toggling the setting of it’s an android device.
Good luck!
Use your personal email, never your work email.
As someone whose paycheque comes directly from the (Canadian) federal Government, ideally your company has a written policy, and even better a Values & Ethics officer (one of the few times that you might trust your employer’s HR) who can answer hypotheticals taking into account your position w/i the org and your desired medium of communication.
But rule of thumb:
As a private citizen you can do all of those things, but you should not say/do anything that implies that you are representing your company in any way - don’t use your work email, don’t write that you work for xyz company and if you go to any public events, don’t wear anything with their logo on it.
You have the right to communicate with your local, state and federal elected representative. However, I would not do so at work using work computer’s, phone, or any other employer equipment.
Don’t do it on company time or company computers and you are fine.
Short answer - Yes.
For example - if they can prove or imply that your direct or in-direct actions harm or may harm the company.
ex - Video of you in an altercation with a Police Officer, during the protest.
Best way to avoid termination:
- do not discuss your positions at work or with your co-workers
- protest peacefully and on your own time
- do not email using company equipment or on work time
- write from yourself, do not use any company titles or any other connections
NOTE: This is no guarantee, but should very much limit your exposure.
As for Protected Speech - the 1st Amendment ONLY applies to those in Government:
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
* Well unless your employer is Congress … this ONLY applies to Governmental interference – as it pertains to the Freedom of Speech.
Last week a peace activist was protesting and a woman came up to her and told her that she should be r@ped and dragged naked through the streets. She is now famous. Don’t be famous.
Federally, yes. There’s no federal law saying your political beliefs are protected from being fired.
But it also depends on your state. States like NY have banned discirmination at work based on political activites or beleifs unless it affects their work.
Or think of it this way, do you think someone with the opposite political beleifs of you should be fired? Someone who publically states their support of Trump, that the election was rigged, death to Israel or Palestine, etc? As a company, I wouldn’t want that type of employee.
My workplace has a pretty explicit politics policy. Support who you want but
Work. Personal life. 2 different things. Don’t use your work phone for anything that isn’t work. Don’t use your work email for anything that isn’t work. Don’t get arrested. Do these things, and they’ll never know what you do in your off time unless you tell them.
Ideally? No, your personal political activities shouldn’t affect your job, providing you aren’t doing something that could reasonably be assumed to have some effect on the company you work for.
Realistically? Depends on your employer, your level in the company (upper management vs line worker), and how public you are both with your activity as well as your association with your employer. There may also be conflict-of-interest (COI) factors based on the government contracting, but that’s going to be determined more on the above factors than just the fact you’re employed by a government contractor. There are a whole heap of laws around procurement COI, undue influence, etc that would probably be better to discuss with a lawyer, but if you’re not involved in the actual contracting or bidding processes, and your political activity isn’t lobbying for your company to be awarded contracts, these should be rather low on the “worry about it?” list.
First of all, protected speech protects you from government interference, doesn’t say anything about business. thats a completely different law
and yes generally speaking you can be fired for your political activity, even if done outside of work.
Don’t attend protests on company time and DO NOT use company email. But if you’re in an at will state, they’ll fire you in a heartbeat if you become problematic.
Do it on your own time and your own system. There is no reason to poke that tiger.
protected speech is not what you seem to think it is. It means that (in most cases) the GOVERNMENT cannot say what you can or can’t say, and cannot punish you for what you say or do not say.
That protection ends there. Companies are free to shit on you for what you do or do not say.
Wasn’t there a group of people who would protest on national television with masks on to prevent losing their jobs by getting pointed out?
If they find out, they’ll make something up and fire you.