“We have all heard the old adage: steer clear of talking about religion and politics. While these topics fuel passionate debates, such discussion is not often worthy of termination,” say Jesse Kelly, Senior Associate at Southworth PC.
Attorneys Jesse Kelly and Shaun Southworth of Southworth PC were recently able to secure a settlement on behalf of a client who alleged he was discrimined based on politics.
Federal employees may not face discrimination based on partisan political reasons. However, 5 CFR 315.806(b) contains no definition of “partisan political reasons.” After a review of court decisions and legislative history, the Board in Sweeting v. Dept. of Justice, 6 MSPR 715, 717–19, 6 MSPB 598 (1981), observed that “partisan political reasons” means discrimination based on affiliation with any political party or candidate.
If you are a federal employee that has suffered an adverse employment action based on political views or prior discussions, please feel free to call and speak with our experienced federal employment attorneys to assess your case.