Stephanie A. Koenig, attorney in the Firm’s Employment Law and Labor Relations practice was recently interviewed by Lehigh Valley Business. The article, titled “Office politics: Kindness, communication and leadership can trump costly office political battles” examines what Lehigh Valley employers should do in the face of divisive political discussion in the workplace.
Ms. Koenig specifically focuses on office culture and communication. She warns that employers cannot forbid employees from discussing politics, but employers still need to keep tabs on what’s being said to avoid situations that create a hostile work environment. She recommends that if an employer gets a complaint about political arguments going too far, they must consider if it was a “once and done” incident or continued harassment, or if there was a real or implied threat involved. Ultimately, employers need to handle complaints “on a case by case basis,” Koenig said.
For assistance reviewing and updating your employment policies, please contact Ms. Koenig or one of the members of our Employment Law and Labor Relations practice.
