dignity can go a long way in preventing conflict .
If employees insist on discussing their divergent political views , it helps if they have some positive examples of how to do so . Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia were fast friends despite their fiercely divergent politics . As Justice Scalia reportedly once said , “[ i ] f you can ’ t disagree ardently with your colleagues about some issues of law and yet personally still be friends , get another job , for Pete ’ s sake .” 17 Examples like these abound . Ronald Reagan ’ s relationship with Tip O ’ Neill is a sterling example that can be taught to employees . Even sending a reminder email that counsels employees to “ disagree without being disagreeable ” can be a step in a right direction during an election cycle .
If all else fails and an employee ’ s toxic politics seep into the workplace , it ’ s your job to help your client take corrective action for legitimate , nondiscriminatory reasons . Your client may grumble about the time “ wasted ” reviewing their historical policies and practices , but they should ultimately be grateful to avoid litigation . Likewise , your client should take pride in working hard to root out improper bias and create a fair workplace for everyone , and you can encourage them to do so . If all else fails , quote Benjamin Franklin : “ an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure .” ___________________________________
1Minyvonne Burke , Arizona man arrested , fired from job after racist rant is caught on camera ( Oct . 28 , 2020 ), at https :// www . nbcnews . com / news / us-news / arizona-man-arrested-fired-jobafter-racist-rant-caught-camera-n1244978 ; Bob Egelko and Ashley McBride , Ex-Berkeley cook fired after Charlottesville charged with inciting riot ( Oct . 2 , 2018 ), at https :// www . sfgate . com / crime / article / Berkeley-hot-dog-cook-fired-after- Charlottesville-13275976 . php .
2
Donald Liebenson , A Peek at the Mudslinging , Muckraking of Elections Past ( Oct . 19 , 2016 ), at https :// www . chicagotribune . com / suburbs / parkridge / ct-skr-go-muckraking-tl-1020-20161019- story . html .
3
Id .
4
Jesse Greenspan , Remembering the 1912 Presidential Election ( Oct . 28 , 2018 ), at https :// www . history . com / news / remembering-the-1912- presidential-election .
5
Betterworks , Feeling Distracted by Politics ? 29 % of Employees are Less Productive After U . S . Election , Industry News ( February 7 , 2017 ), https :// blog . betterworks . com / feeling-distractedpolitics-29-employees-less-productive-u-selection /.
6
Gene Marks , The Guardian , Did the Kavanaugh Hearing Just Cost U . S . Employers $ 1.76bn ?, ( September 29 , 2018 ), https :// www . theguardian . com / business / 2018 / sep / 29 / work-productivitybrett-kavanaugh-supreme-court-nomination .
7
Susan Milligan , How Should HR Handle Political Discussions at Work ?, HR Magazine , Spring 2020 , SHRM ( February 26 , 2020 ), https :// www . shrm . org / hr-today / news / hr-magazine / spring2020 / pages / political-talk-in-the-workplace . aspx .
8
Austin Knoblauch , NFL Owners Approve National Anthem Policy for 2018 , NFL . com ( May 23 , 2018 ), http :// www . nfl . com / news / story / 0ap3000000933971 / article / nfl-ownersapprove-national-anthem-policy-for-2018 .
9
Debra Cassens Weiss , Is the NFL ’ s anthem policy constitutional ? Not in some states , law prof argues ( June 6 , 2018 ), at https :// www . abajournal .
IN THE PROFESSION COMMUNITY
com / news / article / is _ the _ nfls _ anthem _ policy _ constitutional _ not _ in _ some _ states _ law _ prof _ argues .
10
Matt Naham , Federal Judge Refuses to Dismiss Peter Strzok and Lisa Page ’ s Lawsuits Against DOJ Over Release of Texts : ‘ Pour Yourself Another Cup of Coffee …’, ( Sept . 25 , 2020 ), at https :// lawandcrime . com / lawsuit / federal-judge-refusesto-dismiss-peter-strzok-and-lisa-pages-lawsuitsagainst-doj-over-release-of-texts /.
11
Debra Cassens Weiss , Is the NFL ’ s anthem policy constitutional ? Not in some states , law prof argues ( June 6 , 2018 ), at https :// www . abajournal . com / news / article / is _ the _ nfls _ anthem _ policy _ constitutional _ not _ in _ some _ states _ law _ prof _ argues .
12
See Cal . Lab . Code §§ 1101 , 1102 ; C . R . S . § 8-2- 108 ; La . R . S . 23:961 , 23:962 ; Minn . Stat . Ann . § 10A . 36 ; § 115.637 ( 6 ), RSMo and § 130.028 , RSMo ; Neb . Rev . Stat . § 32-1537 ; NRS 613.040 ; S . C . Code Ann . § 16-17-560 ; W . Va . Code § 3-8-11 .
13
See D . C . Code §§ 2-1401.02 ( 25 ), 2-1402.11 ( a ); 10 ILCS 5 / 29-17 ; Iowa Code § 39A . 2 ( c )( 4 ); La . R . S . 18:1461.4 ( A )( 1 ); N . Y . Lab . Law § 201-d ; P . R . Laws Ann . tit . 29 , § 140 ; RCW 42.17A . 495 ( 2 ).
14
See A . R . S . §§ 19-116 , 19-206 ; O . C . G . A . § 21-4- 20 ( b ); Iowa Code § 39A . 2 ; La . R . S . 18:1461.4 ( A ); M . G . L . ch . 56 , § 33 ; Minn . Stat . Ann . § 211C . 09 ; § 115.637 ( 6 ), RSMo ; Ohio R . C . 731.40 ; Or . Rev . Stat . § 260.665 ( 1 ), ( 2 ); RCW 29A . 84.220 ( 5 ), 29A . 84.250 ( 4 ).
15
NLRB , Advice Memorandum , Case No . 32-CA- 205351 ( Jan . 16 , 2018 ), at https :// apps . nlrb . gov / link / document . aspx / 09031d45826e6391 .
16
Vin Gurrieri , Law360 , NLRB Memo Faults Google For Chiding Diversity Policy Critic ( February 14 , 2020 ), at https :// www . law360 . com / articles / 1244392 / nlrb-memo-faults-google-forchiding-diversity-policy-critic .
17
Irin Carmon , What Made the Friendship Between Scalia and Ginsburg Work ( Feb . 13 , 2016 ), at https :// www . washingtonpost . com / posteverything / wp / 2016 / 02 / 13 / what-madescalia-and-ginsburgs-friendship-work /.
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