Politics in the workplace: 5 key takeaways for employers and HR professionals
September 4, 2024 | Larry Morgan, MAIR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, GPHR
With election season upon us, here are some key issues for employers to be aware of:
- For voting, employers may request that employees coordinate time off from work to minimize disruption and loss of productivity. However, employees taking time off to vote must be paid their regular wage for voting.
- Employees serving as election judges must also be given time off. They are paid by the local election board and employers are not required to pay them for this time off. The city clerk can provide employers with verification of the employee serving as an election judge.
- Private sector employers can prohibit political campaign buttons and signage in the workplace for all candidates and political issues in the workplace, except for union support and during non-working time, such as lunch or breakrooms.
- Corporations cannot make contributions to federal candidates.
- Employers cannot pay or incent employees to register to vote or cast a ballot for particular candidates. Employers should be careful with any campaign or political signage inside or outside of the work environment which may suggest how employees should vote.
Please contact the
HR Hotline for additional information or consultation.
Topics: Staffing, Human Resources
Larry Morgan, MAIR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, GPHR
Larry Morgan, MAIR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, GPHR, owner of Orion HR Group, LLC, provides consulting services on a wide range of HR issues. He has more than 40 years of HR experience with a broad range of industries. Larry is the voice behind the MNCPA HR Hotline and a regular contributor to the organization’s Footnote magazine. He has been quoted in HR Magazine, World at Work, Upsize Magazine, Minneapolis Star Tribune, St. Paul Pioneer Press, and many other respected publications. Larry received the Lifetime Recognition Award by the Twin Cities Compensation Network in 2017 for his work in compensation and human resources and the Friend of the Profession Award by the Minnesota Society of CPAs in 2022 for his work with MNCPA members regarding HR issues.
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