"If you are going to vote for Obama, be prepared to find a new job!"

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

Ok so here's the deal, my friend works for a small (16 employees) company and he told me the other day the company owner STRONGLY implied (though not directly stated) what is indicated in the thread title.

That is, that anyone in the company who votes for Obama in November could be at risk of losing their job because of it.

This guy is a hardcore Republican who makes his views clearly known to everyone around him. He's got the Tea Party bumper stickers, listens to Rush Limbaugh in his office and is constantly complaining about the "Liberals" that are destroying the country.

Now my friend hasn't decided which way he's going to vote yet, but he and I are trying to determine the legality of this situation. As far as I'm aware a voter is under no obligation to reveal to anyone who he or she votes for.

But, if that information does become known, are companies permitted to use it against someone?

This whole situation is messed up and my friend is looking for a new job but, well you know how it is out there these days.

[Andara Bledin]

This is definitely skeevy, and is a form of electoral fraud called economic intimidation.

Whether it's illegal or not is something that should be discussed with the local labor board.

^-.-^

[bex1218]

Yeah, check with your local laws. It should be illegal. That should be under some sort of discrimination. And its none of their business of who I vote for or not.

[Hyena Dandy]

It's illegal to require someone to disclose who they vote for in the United States. That I know for sure. No records are kept tying names to votes (in fact, during the Senate election that put Franken in office, one ballot was invalidated because it had been signed.

[Anthony K. S.]

How would this even be enforceable?

Obviously, who you vote for is nobody's business but your own. But setting that aside ... What's to prevent an employee from voting for Obama and then just straight up lying about it?

"Oh, absolutely, sir, I voted Republican right down the line ... Yeah, right."

What's the owner going to do? Contact the elections board and ask them how the employees voted?

First of all, as has been pointed out, they don't keep records of which people voted for which candidates.

Second, if they did, I would expect that that would be information kept tightly sealed.

Can you imagine how pissed off people would be if they found out that the government was giving out information on how they voted?

This company owner is blowing out an awful lot of hot air, not to mention that he could get himself into real legal trouble ...

[SongsOfDragons]

I second lying. There's no way to prove you aren't, and it's a safer option than telling him it's none of his business - which may well be to him an admission of 'guilt'!!

[Seifer]

Can someone get him on tape or get other proof of what the boss is saying? If you have proof, you can go straight to the labor board and complain. The boss won't be able to say you're lying, and will be told flat-out that he's setting himself up for one hell of a lawsuit.

[drunkenwildmage]

Now, I'm wondering if it wasn't a direct threat, as he was trying to imply something.

Personally, my interpretation would be something along the lines of

'If Obama gets elected, we are going to be out of business'.

Regardless, he has no business knowing what/who his employees vote for, and really should keep politics out of the office.

[Greenday]

'If Obama gets elected, we are going to be out of business'.

That's pretty much how I read it. A lot of hardcore Republicans think that if we re-elect Obama, he's going to kill all businesses.

[crashhelmet]

This is a case of context. Without know what exactly he said and how he said it, it's too difficult to tell.

[Crazedclerkthe2nd]

According to my friend, this owner is pretty much far right to the core. He thinks Obama is from another country, Liberals are the scum of the earth, the media (except Fox News) is corrupt.

He claims he once fired a guy because he saw a Hillary Clinton campaign shirt in his office.

[gremcint]

Just lie about who you voted for then.

[powerboy]

From what I know. Cannot remember how I know it, but no one can force you to vote one way or another. Again, not sure of how I know it.

[Silverharp]

Yeah, he's setting himself up for lawsuit city.
My advice? Make sure your friend records any meetings with him discreetly, and make sure that there's witnesses to these "vote the way I tell you or get fired" statements.

[MadMike]

Just lie about who you voted for then.

Or better yet, refuse to discuss it.

This could very well come back and bite the owner in the ass. Although if that does happen, he'll probably either say, "I never said that!", or "That's not what I meant!" It would be funny if someone could get it on tape. I'd love to see the fucker squirm when it was played back for him.