Speech, Safety, and the Law: When Politics Enter the Workplace

Benjamin Buchwalter and Jacqueline Gerson discuss "Speech, Safety, and the Law: When Politics Enter the Workplace."

Political conversations are common in the workplace. While employees value their free expression, several practical steps can serve a dual purpose of supporting employee well-being while minimizing risks. These risks include potential claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and violations of the California Labor Code. Given these potential liabilities, it’s essential for employers to proactively communicate acceptable standards for workplace political speech. This program will cover employer lessons for how to identify and mitigate legal risks related to workplace political speech, including: 

• Potential pitfalls created by workplace political speech
• Development of workplace policies to mitigate risks without violating applicable laws
• Effective investigation of workplace complaints involving political speech
• Summary of recent litigation involving workplace political speech
• Preview of anticipated legislation regarding political conduct in the workplace