Employment Law Commentary, September 2008

In this issue:

• Political Discussion in the Workplace: Small Talk or Big Problems?

• Disciplining Employees Involved in Political Advocacy Under the NLRA

• Upcoming Speaking Engagements

Political Discussion in the Workplace: Small Talk or Big Problems?

The 2008 presidential election is, and will likely continue to be, one of the most contentious presidential elections in decades. The historic uniqueness of this election season, combined with the around-the-clock news coverage of the election, will likely force employers to confront the challenging issue of setting limits on political dialogue at work.

For example, this election has seen an unprecedented focus on and media infatuation with such topics of the "black vote," the "white vote," and the "Hispanic vote," as well as discussions on gender and the differences between "college-educated" voters and "blue-collar" voters. The constant discussion of these issues, combined with the diversity of