Pain Points: Politcal Conversations at Work

It’s lunchtime and you walk into the cafeteria and overhear a heated conversation between a couple of employees. The conversation isn’t work-related, they’re arguing about the upcoming election. You notice that other employees in the cafeteria having lunch are visibly uncomfortable. As the HR manager, you’re wondering what you can legally do. Are you allowed to interrupt the conversation and ban political discussions in the workplace, or are these discussions protected by free speech?

With over 17,000+ clients, myHRcounsel® answers questions like this every day. We make your life easier with our ASK HR services, which include unlimited access to our employment attorneys priced to fit within your budget. Additionally, clients can access our sample memo regarding political in the Performance Management section of our HR Solutions Center.