Discussing politics in the workplace can lead to unrest among employees. Join our free small business webinar on legally acceptable ways to protect yourself.

1. Presented by
Jaime Lizotte
HR Solutions Manager
Shanna Wall
Compliance Attorney
With Special Guest

2.  Welcome! Before we get started…
 Use the chat box on the left to ask questions
 If you are having audio trouble, please message us in the chat box, and
we will do our best to assist you
 All participants will receive a link to these slides in a follow-up email

3.  Why should you be concerned with political
discussions in the workplace?
 What are your legal obligations… and what are your
rights as an employer?
 What can you do to prevent political discussions
from getting out of control?
 What should you do if it happens anyway?

4. Have you ever witnessed a
political argument between
coworkers?

6. “Mexico should pay for the wall.”
“Why are you protesting? The election is over.”
“I don’t want a male in a bathroom with my daughter.”
“Too many illegal immigrants are abusing the system.”
“I can’t believe they’re going to take away
health care from so many people.”

7.  66% say coworkers regularly discuss politics
 46% have witnessed a political argument
between colleagues
 35% of Americans said their bosses share
their political views at work
 9% felt pressure to conform to the views of
their bosses

9.  You will never eliminate all political discussion
from the workplace
 Allowing it to go unchecked can affect
productivity…
 … And lead to legal issues, including lawsuits

10. Harassment:
• Co-workers are engaged in a casual political discussion
regarding immigration
• New employee walks by and overhears the conversation
that shifted into an offensive conversation regarding his
national origin and citizenship status
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits
harassment based on national origin

11. Discrimination:
• Manager calls a female employee a “trouble maker”
because she has made anti-Trump statements and is active
in protests
• Female employee has been passed over for a promotion
based on the assertion that she is a trouble maker and that
the clients may not like her
• Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits
discrimination based on sex
• State or local laws may also prohibit discrimination based on
political affiliations or activities

13. Over the past year, has an employee of
your company expressed discomfort with
at-work political discussions to a
supervisor, manager or HR?

14. Generally private employers have the right to:
 Limit or prohibit political discussions or activities during
working hours
 Prohibit solicitations for contributions or support for a
political campaign during working hours
 Prohibit the company’s name or affiliation in connection
with any political or campaign activity

15.  Keep your work environment safe and free
from hostility
 Keep political discussions from becoming
heated debates
 Take action to prevent conversations from
turning into harassment or discrimination

16.  Employees have a right to freedom of speech
but that protection is limited in the workplace
 Private employers are not required to let free
speech ring throughout the workplace
 Managers have the right to discipline at-will
employees who disrupt the workplace

17.  Participating in political protests
 Participating in strikes, walk-outs, stand-ins,
boycotts, etc.
 Running for political office
 Political fundraising

19.  Adopt and enforce a well-crafted and well-
communicated anti-harassment policy that explains
that harassment on the basis of any protected class will
not be tolerated
 Adopt an anti-discrimination policy
 Create a formal policy on political expression

20. What should you consider when creating a policy:
 Business needs
 State and local laws
What should your policy include:
 Prohibited activities
 Disciplinary measures

21.  Discourage managers and supervisors from
engaging in political discussions
 Remind employees about what to do in case of
an uncomfortable political discussion
 Redistribute your company’s Political
Expression policy

22. Remind employees to:
 Excuse themselves from any unwanted political
discussions
 Be sensitive to the time and energy they’re spending
discussing politics on the job
 Leave strong opinions to themselves; agree to disagree
 Change the topic if necessary
 Speak up if something makes them uncomfortable
 Know and understand the audience
 Review company policy if unsure

24. How much have political discussions
impacted your employees
productivity in the last six months?

25.  What to do about casual conversations
 Evaluate whether they violate any written policies
 Step in and end workplace arguments before they
become bigger problems
 Don’t take sides
 Stay consistent
 Balance with positive atmosphere

26.  How to resolve a one-off conflict
 Disrupt the argument and make a note of who was
involved
 Write-up the employees involved
 Have a one-on-one meeting with each employee
and remind them about the political expression
policy

27.  What to do if an employee complains
formally about repeated offenses
 Refer to company policies
 Do harassment/discrimination investigation if
warranted
 Take proper disciplinary measures when needed

28.  When to begin disciplinary procedures
 Discipline disruptions, but don’t punish perspectives
 If a harassment claim is made and investigation findings are
positive:
 Take measures to protect employee violated
 Severity of the incident will dictate severity of discipline
 Refresher training
 Write-up
 Termination

29.  Take precautionary measures
 Be prepared in case of an out-of-control
discussion
 Know when to take disciplinary action

30.  Instantly downloadable for
convenience
 Includes Speakers notes for
group training sessions
 Includes Trainer Instructions
and Acknowledgement
 Customizable to fit your
company’s needs; add company
policies, etc.
 Developed by employment law
attorneys and HR experts

31. Watch the recording of this webinar here. Connect With Us
@ComplyRight
@ComplyRight
ComplyRight,Inc.
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