KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The First Amendment protects Americans from government interference when it comes to free speech, religion and the press. But legal experts say those protections don’t always extend into the workplace.

Knoxville attorney and legal analyst Don Bosch said the distinction comes down to who the employer is.

“Government is the critical word,” Bosch said. “A private employer is not considered the government.... That employer can dismiss an employee from words, even political words."

That means government employees typically have stronger protections, since the government cannot directly suppress free speech. For private workers, however, the rules can be much different.

Mark O’Gorman, a political science professor at Maryville College, said many organizations are now havin

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