NIW Today | 25
PERMITTED ACTIVITIES UNDER THE HATCH ACT
Legislative Activism and You
Federal employees MAY list his official title or position on Facebook and identify his
"political views."
Federal employees MAY display a political party, campaign logo, or candidate photograph as
their cover or header photo on their personal Facebook or Twitter accounts.
Because a profile picture accompanies most actions on social media, a federal employee
would NOT be permitted, while on duty or in the workplace, to post, "share," "tweet," or
"retweet" any items on Facebook or Twitter, because each such action would show their
support for a partisan group or candidate in a partisan race, even if the content of the action
is not about those entities.
Federal employees MAY receive a partisan political email while at work.
Employees must NOT send or forward partisan political emails while on duty or in the
workplace.
Federal employees MAY send or forward an email about currents events or matters of public
interest to others.
The Hatch Act does not prohibit federal employees from engaging in non-partisan political
activities.
Employees MAY express their opinions about current events and matters of public interest
at work so long as their actions are not considered political activity.
