For Immediate Release
Thinking of Attending a Protest or Discussing Politics on Social Media? Is Your Job at Risk if You Engage in Political Activity? Workplace Fairness Provides Information on Retaliation for Political Activity, Social Media Privacy, and Your Rights In the Workplace.
Nonprofit organization provides information, education and assistance to individual workers and their advocates nationwide and promotes public policies that advance employee rights
SILVER SPRING, Md. (Aug. 16, 2017) – After the recent protests and violent clashes in Charlottesville, workers have questions about what can happen to them at work when they voice political opinions, or take part in political activity outside of work. As tensions rise about the future of our country people are feeling that it is important, now more than ever, to engage in political discourse and action. But what does that mean for your job? Workers may be protected from discrimination in some cases, but also may risk being fired by a private employer who simply doesn’t agree with their political views.
To keep the public informed about retaliation for political activity and their privacy rights on social media, Workplace Fairness provides information on Political Discrimination /Retaliation and Social Networking and Computer Privacy.
Our Retaliation – Political Activity page provides answers to important questions for people who want to express political views but don’t know how it might affect their job.
- I've been talking to my coworkers about my support of a political candidate. Is it illegal for my employer to retaliate against me for my political activities?
- Which federal law(s) make it illegal to retaliate on the basis of an employee's political activity?
- I run a blog where I post a lot of my political views. Can my employer fire me if they find out about it?
- I am an employer. What actions can I take to prevent a hostile work environment?
Our Social Media and Computer Privacy page provides answers about how your employer can use information you post on social media.
- Can potential employers use information from social media in the hiring process?
- Can my employer legally monitor my computer and internet activities?
- Don't I have a First Amendment Right to say what I want on my social media accounts?
- I feel that my employer's computer usage policy has violated my privacy rights or might be discriminatory. What can I do?
Workplace Fairness Senior Advisor Paula Brantner was recently interviewed by MarketWatch as an expert on these topics, for the story Why the First Amendment won’t protect Charlottesville white supremacists from being fired.
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For more information on a multitude of topics relating to workplace rights, laws and legislation, take a look at our website, filled with over 400 pages of substantive legal information at www.workplacefairness.org.
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About Workplace Fairness
Workplace Fairness is a nonprofit organization that provides information, education and assistance to individual workers and their advocates nationwide and promotes public policies that advance employee rights.
Our goals are that workers and their advocates are educated about workplace rights and options for resolving workplace problems and those policymakers, members of the business community and the public at large view the fair treatment of workers as both good business practice and sound public policy.
Workplace Fairness works toward these goals by:
- Making comprehensive information about workers' rights – free of legal jargon – readily available to workers and to advocates and organizations that assist workers;
- Providing resources to support the work of legal services organizations, community-based organizations, law schools and private attorneys that provide free legal information and services to low-income workers;
- Presenting the employee perspective in publications, policy debates & public discussion.
A 2017 Webby Award Honoree, the award-winning Workplace Fairness website has newly updated information throughout the site, as part of the web's most comprehensive resource educating workers about their legal rights in the workplace.
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Media Contact:
Paula Brantner
Senior Advisor
240-772-1205
paula@workplacefairness.org
www.workplacefairness.org