Talking politics in the workplace: How Texas employers can mobilize voters without violating the law

Politics in general has been known to be a contentious topic, but many employers seek to mobilize their workforce to vote for initiatives or candidates that are supportive of the industry they operate in. While our gut reaction might be that this is an unsafe practice, you may be surprised to hear that there is no federal law prohibiting employer voting guidance for employees. Even more encouragingly, studies show that more than 50% of employees want to receive guidance from their employers on voting, such as which candidates to support or how political issues may affect their jobs.

So how can employers take part in political dialogue without running afoul of the law or making employees uncomfortable? This article provides practical direction for Texas employers that want to responsibly introduce politics into the workplace while respecting employee rights and complying with state law.

What protections do Texas employees have?

Texas law gives employees important protection when it comes to participating in the democratic process, and employers must be aware of these boundaries. While there’s no law preventing employers from discussing political issues or encouraging civic engagement, the Texas Election Code prohibits any effort to coerce, intimidate, or retaliate against employees based on how they vote.