Staying Nonpartisan in the Workplace
Nonprofit staff members are frequently involved in campaigns or asked to support candidates. Since nonprofit staff is involved in community affairs, they may want to support a candidate who has helped their organization or neighborhood. What you or another staff member does in personal time is a private choice. However, a staff member cannot be seen as representing the organization on a campaign nor may they use organizational resources for a candidate.
Personal time
Individual staff can support any candidate of their choice outside of normal work hours. If they wish to engage in partisan activities during normal work hours, they should take vacation or personal leave time.
Organization resources
A staff member cannot use their work email, computer, phone, or other resources to partake in partisan activities, such as emails in support of a candidate or donating money. Resources also include using the copier or computer to make campaign fliers or other partisan items. Staff should not open or receive any partisan mail at the workplace or work emails. If a partisan email is sent to a personal account, staff members should not open it on organization computers. Political phone calls should only be made on personal time and resources.
Organization name
Your organization cannot support or oppose a candidate. Your organization’s name should not appear in candidate literature next to a staff member’s name during their personal political work. However, the organization’s name may be listed along with the staff member’s name if it is clearly stated that the organization name is noted for “identification purposes only.” If a candidate lists your name or organization without permission, you are not at fault. Just ask them to remove your organization’s names from their literature and save a copy of your email or written request in your files.
Permissible Activities
If staff, board, or volunteers are using their personal time, they can support or oppose any candidate or party. Staff members may monitor partisan websites or blogs for job-related purposes, such as monitoring the political landscape for your issue area, but may not participate or post on websites using organization computers, emails, or time. Staff members should not have partisan campaign materials hanging in their personal office space. They are allowed to have materials of the current office holder as the office holder, not as a candidate (i.e. a picture of a sitting President is okay, but a campaign poster is not).
Volunteers and board members
Your volunteers and board members should follow the same rules as your staff does when working for your organization. What they choose to do outside of your organization is their personal choice.
