Election Season and the Workplace: Michigan State University and Beyond

During the heart of the election season, the political landscape can impact life at work. Several articles discuss tips for “talking politics” at work and your rights as an employee.

According to an article posted on WorkLife presented by Colonial Life, “The party line may be to ban political chatter at work. But in a presidential election year featuring arguably the most polarizing candidates in recent memory, that’s not realistic (also illegal — there’s that little First Amendment thing).” The article features tips for talking about politics in the workplace: Office Politics: Tips for mixing work and elections.  

Sometimes, however, bringing up politics may cause tension in the workplace. A story from NPR published on June 20, 2016 reported, “On Sunday, the Society for Human Resource Management released a survey showing 26 percent of employers say there is greater political volatility in the office compared with previous election cycles.” The story examines various perspectives about the potential consequences for having political discussions at work: In 2016, Talking Politics Can Make Things Uncomfortable At Work.

Another important aspect of the election season is to know your department’s policies about time off for getting to the polls. In Michigan, there are no laws that require time off (paid or unpaid) to fulfill your civic duty. States throughout the United States maintain different laws about time off to vote, as examined in an NPR story on November 1, 2016: Several States, Employers Help Workers Make Time to Vote. Polls are open from 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. in an effort to accommodate multiple work schedules.

As a staff or faculty member of Michigan State University, it is up to the discretion of your supervisor to develop workplace protocols for election day within your unit. If you have questions about how to have this conversation with your supervisor, you may contact the MSU WorkLife Office at (517) 353-1635. 

If the election season is having a particularly difficult impact on you and your ability to focus at work, the MSU Employee Assistance Program, in conjunction with the Reflect & Connect series, has provided a “Self-Care Strategies” reference sheet. 

Article compiled by Lydia Weiss, Educational Program Coordinator, MSU WorkLife Office