In light of political events transpiring throughout the world, employers have come under increased scrutiny for how they do, or do not, respond to concerns regarding employee speech.

Although employee speech on contentious issues may occur within the physical work environment, it often occurs outside of both the workspace and normal working hours. Employers are then left to consider how, and to what extent, they can react in light of federal and state laws which protect certain types of speech.

Here are some helpful guidelines for employers to keep in mind.

Political Speech is Not Protected

Both federal and state laws cover protected class status — including an individual’s race, national origin, age, or religion. However, an employee’s political affiliation is not a protected class st

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