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First Amendment Employer Liability Issues

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech... more +
The First Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits the government from making laws respecting the establishment of religion, prohibiting the free exercise of religion, abridging the freedom of speech or the press, preventing citizens from peacefully assembling, or interfering with citizens' ability to petition the government for redress of their grievances. The First Amendment is one of the most sacred aspects of the American legal tradition and has spawned a vast body of jurisprudence and commentary. less -
Ice Miller

Parades, Protests, and Politics: Managing Off-Duty Conduct in the Workplace

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As the nation prepares to celebrate the Fourth of July with parades, fireworks, and barbeques, many employers may find themselves faced with a challenging issue—how to manage employee conduct that occurs off the clock,...more

Tucker Arensberg, P.C.

Federal Court Refuses to Dismiss Claims Brought Under Pennsylvania’s Criminal History Record Information Act (“CHRIA”)

Tucker Arensberg, P.C. on

Deivert v. Zartman and Borough of Northumberland, 2025 WL 83747 (M.D.Pa. 2025) - (Neither a municipality nor a municipal manager had immunity under the Pennsylvania Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act (“PPSTCA”) for the...more

Oppenheimer Investigations Group

MAGA Hats and Pronoun Disputes Test Workplace Speech Boundaries

The line between protected political speech and workplace disruption depends largely on who signs your paycheck. Public employees enjoy First Amendment protections that private sector workers lack, but even government...more

Proskauer - California Employment Law

May 2025 California Employment Law Notes

We invite you to review our newly-posted, May 2025 California Employment Law Notes, a comprehensive review of the latest and most significant developments in California employment law. The highlights include: Apple...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Coalition for a Democratic Workplace Urges US Attorney General to Unilaterally Override Biden-Era NLRB Decisions

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The Coalition for a Democratic Workplace (CDW) – an association of several hundred employers and employer associations – sent letters to US Attorney General Pam Bondi to direct the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) to...more

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Back on the Chopping Block after Federal Appeals Court Ruling

On Friday, March 14, 2025, a unanimous panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit stayed, pending appeal, the injunction previously entered by Judge Adam Abelson of the U.S. District Court for the District of...more

Meyers Nave

Ninth Circuit Rules on Caste as a Protected Class in CSU’s Anti-Discrimination Policy

Meyers Nave on

On March 12, 2025, the Ninth Circuit issued its decision in Kumar v. Koester, dismissing a constitutional challenge to a university’s anti-discrimination policy that added “caste” as a protected class. Effective January 1,...more

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP

Court Blocks Certain Key Provisions of DEI Executive Orders, but Employers Should Continue Reviewing Practices and Policies

On February 21, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland paused the enforcement of certain portions of the Trump administration’s executive orders related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts....more

Proskauer - Law and the Workplace

Federal Court Issues Partial Preliminary Injunction Halting Enforcement of DEI-Related EOs

On February 21, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland issued a preliminary injunction pausing enforcement of several provisions of President Trump’s DEI-related executive orders on Ending Radical and...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

The intersection of partisan political speech and employee rights. Look both ways before crossing.

Considering the barrage of vitriolic campaign ads that invaded our homes on a nightly basis during the past year, you might think that political debate in America had reached a new low. Think again....more

Weintraub Tobin

Lawsuit Filed by CA Chamber of Commerce: Challenging Senate Bill 399

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This is a follow-up to our recent blog post regarding Senate Bill 399 (“SB 399”) and its prohibition on an employer’s right to take adverse action against an employee who refuses to attend meetings related to “political...more

Ervin Cohen & Jessup LLP

California Employers Prohibited from Mandatory Religious or Political Meetings

California has a habit of finding creative ways to protect employees from potential instances of discrimination or retaliation, no matter how remote.  ...more

Littler

The NLRB Decision on Mandatory Employer Meetings Has Other, Less Obvious Implications for Employers

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The recent NLRB decision finding that mandatory employer meetings involving unionization discussions are unlawful includes other points that will affect employers....more

Littler

NLRB Jettisons 76-Year-Old Precedent Covering Workplace Meetings

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Since 1948, Section 8(c) of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) had been interpreted to protect the First Amendment right of employers to bring employees together to exchange views, arguments, and opinions about...more

Wiley Rein LLP

Maintaining Civility Post-Election – Guardrails on Employee Political Speech

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Election season is officially over, but the tension surrounding discussions about the candidates and the issues in American society is unlikely to end soon. That tension is extending beyond dinner tables and social...more

Stinson LLP

After 76 Years, the NLRB Declares Captive-Audience Meetings Unlawful

Stinson LLP on

On November 13, 2024, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) held in Amazon.com Services LLC, 373 NLRB No. 136, that "captive-audience" meetings are unlawful under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). Specifically, the...more

Foley & Lardner LLP

“Captive Audience” Bans: Employers Should Be Aware of This Trend

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As organized labor activity has been on the rise in recent years and stories about union-related matters have become regular news, labor relations questions have ever-increasingly become front-of-mind for employers. It is...more

FordHarrison

Managing Political Discussions in Florida’s Private Workplaces: What Employers Need to Know

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Introduction - As the election draws near, private (nongovernmental) employers in Tampa Bay face unique challenges regarding political speech in the workplace. While they have considerable flexibility to regulate political...more

Littler

A Case Study on the First Amendment Defense for Entertainment Industry Employers

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The First Amendment traditionally offers robust protections for expressive employers, such as those in the entertainment and media industries, allowing them to control casting and messaging. In California, however, these...more

Constangy, Brooks, Smith & Prophete, LLP

Miss Mannerly's five tips for political peace in the workplace

Election Day is almost upon us, Gentle Reader. Behave! Dear Miss Mannerly: My employees have strong political views, and since the Presidential debate the other night, they are out of control. They are split about evenly...more

Littler

Politics in the Workplace and the Risks of Social Media

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In 2017, former Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy noted in Packingham v. North Carolina that the most important place for the exchange of ideas is no longer the physical town square but cyberspace and, in particular,...more

White and Williams LLP

Talking Politics Can Lead to Employer Liability

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This episode of The Employment Law Counselor Hosted by Jeff Stewart in collaboration with the Professional Liability Underwriting Society (PLUS), features guest John Baker, Director of Labor Relations, Del Lago Resort and...more

Kilpatrick

Illinois Passes Law Limiting 'Captive Audience' Meetings

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On July 31, 2024, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 3649, the “Worker Freedom of Speech Act,” (the “Act”) which prohibits employers from using “captive audience” meetings with employees to discuss an...more

Littler

Illinois Makes Move to Ban Employer-Sponsored Meetings

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For over 75 years, the National Labor Relations Board and courts (including the U.S. Supreme Court) have held the right of employees to make informed choices about unions is best served when employers share competing...more

Littler

Hawaii's New “Captive Audience” Law: What Employers Need to Know

Littler on

Under current federal law, employers may legally require workers to attend meetings during working hours that concern the employer’s views on politics, religion and similar matters. Hawaii recently joined several states,...more

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