Ask a Manager: Can Your Company Urge You To Vote For a Particular Candidate?

[minoanmiss]

Can your company urge you to vote for a political candidate? The company my husband works for was founded by the family of the wife of a current candidate for the U.S. Senate. The entire C-suite and most of the employees are very conservative politically. I’ve already asked my husband to keep quiet about being a member of the opposite political party, as I know that political affiliation is not a protected class.

The president of the company sent out an email that basically says they “strongly urge” all employees to vote for their in-law for the Senate. My husband thinks this is illegal; I think it’s a bad idea, but legal.

You’re correct: bad idea but legal. Private employers can indeed urge employees to vote a certain way. They can’t explicitly threaten employees’ jobs over it, but they can urge you all they want. Some states do have additional restrictions; for example, New Jersey prohibits employers from requiring workers to listen to the employer’s political opinions, and a handful of other states forbid employers from posting notices saying that they will shut down if a particular candidate wins.

Comments

[minoanmiss]

I wanted more info so I Googled a bit. Have to go do my job or I'd open up DuckDuckGo.

https://www.cnbc.com/id/49421240

https://www.findlaw.com/legalblogs/in-house/can-a-company-tell-its-employees-who-to-vote-for-yes-sort-of/

https://caseandsedey.com/2016/11/14/politics-workplace-can-employer-fire-voted/

https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-boss-politics-at-work-20161021-story.html

https://wlawinc.com/answers/2021/2/15/can-my-employer-tell-me-who-to-vote-for

[purlewe]

VERY interesting. thanks for the links.

My work often has politicians running for office come after work hours to meet and greet employees, tell a little about themselves, and field questions. I have never gone, but have used the opportunity to look up the politicians and their platforms. It has helped me find people I wasn't necessarily looking for (think the PGH politician who is on the state ballot, but I know little about bc they are on the other side of the state and locally doing work there). We are NOT require to go. We are not asked to vote for them. it is more of a "here is a politician running and if you want to discuss issues with them they are available from 6-7pm local time" I have no idea if anyone goes. IF Fetterman or OZ would come in this contentious voting cycle I might be more tempted. But generally it is Judges up for election and are less known politically that the bigwigs.