Top Ten Issues for Employers This Election Season
Author: Marta Moakley, XpertHR Legal Editor
Reports of employers sending emails endorsing candidates, requiring attendance at campaign stops, distributing non-contributor lists and asking employees to forego a day's pay in order to attend a political event have recently made the media rounds. Employers may wish to endorse candidates, but should beware of running afoul of legal and regulatory requirements this election season.
The below list sets forth XpertHR's "Top Ten" issues faced by employers during an election year together with links to a list of accompanying resources for that particular topic:
- Soliciting employees for political contributions.
- Encouraging employees to vote for a particular candidate or platform.
- Employee eligibility for voting leave.
- Employee eligibility for leave when running for office.
- Employee free speech rights when talking politics at work.
- Union participation in campaign or other political events.
- Holding a campaign event at the workplace.
- Compensating employees when attending a mandatory campaign event.
- Limiting campaigning for a particular candidate or issue at the workplace.
- Disciplining employees for political activities.