I'm banned from protesting, petitions, boycotts, and partisan political activities

[realisticphish]

So, just got a job with AmeriCorps... I just got the contract we have to sign to join. Along with the normal behavior regulations, there was the following:

At no time may a member:
-Attempt to influence legislation or an election
-Assist, promote or deter union organizing
-Engage in religious instruction or conduct worship services
-Engage in any form of religious proselytization
-Organize or engage in protests, petitions, boycotts, or strikes
-Impair existing contracts for services or collective bargaining agreements
-Participate in or endorse events or activities that are likely to include advocacy for or against political parties, political candidates, political platforms, or elected officials
-Provide a direct benefit to a for-profit entity, a labor union, a partisan political organization
-Engage in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to a public office
-Engage in voter registration drive

Yeesh. I understand that they want us to be impartial and everything, but it's not like postal employees have to agree to this. I mean, couldn't just posting here constitute a violation? I know I'm "anonymous," but still. And I guess this means I can't have any bumper stickers until August of 2011.

[hobbit709]

1. If you're not on the clock, screw that.

[Mimosa]

30. "At no time may a member:"

The rules are clear. And they are sensible.

[hobbit709]

40. No one owns me 24/7.

Even way back when I was in the Air Farce they couldn't control what I thought or did when off duty.

[Ian David]

2. I would consult an attorney. n/t

[blogslut]

3. Then you should probably refrain from posting on DU

...until your commitment to Americorps is over.

[littlewolf]

8. I would check with an lawyer ....

now I would not do it on company hardware ....
but how can they tell if you choose to boycott something ...
your just not buying something ... ??
now advertising the boycott I understand ....
maybe I am missing something here ...
bumper stickers and all I understand ....

[realisticphish]

17. right

I'm guessing most of this is "so that people find out." Would me paying for my membership here be considered such? Would posting at all? I'll be asking the AmeriCorps people a LOT of questions.

[realisticphish]

18. a year without DU?

screw that ;)

[blogslut]

22. Consider it temporary political celibacy

Americorps is a wonderful organization and you will be helping your fellow citizens far more directly than you would posting from this place.

[Drale]

4. You can not sign away your constitutional rights

no matter what a employer wants you to think.

[Toucano]

7. I'm not so sure...when the employer is the Pentagon...

courts have held that you CAN sign away your rights.

I'm not a lawyer (thank god!).

[jberryhill]

9. Sure you can

I will pay you $10 if you agree to be silent for an hour.

Is that a legal contract?

Of course it is.

When that hour starts, you can't say to me - "I can exercise my right of free speech, because I can't contract it away."

[realisticphish]

14. This is a federal job, though

I'm guessing this is on the clock; I'll be asking questions about that at the orientation.

[dixiegrrrrl]

5. You can't teach Sunday school?

You can't even refuse to buy a boycotted product?
You can't BUY anything from a "for profit " entity? ( that is a direct benefit, no?)
You can't support a political candidate or party????

fuck that...half of those conditions are unconsitutional.

What exactly will you be doing for Americorps?

Seems like a good way to muzzle all America Corp members..was that the idea???

[realisticphish]

15. Well

I think the intent is to make sure that we appear "impartial" to anyone we're assisting. But my job is digitizing historical documents for the Ohio Historical Society, so I don't see why it matters...

As to the religious thing... I don't know. It just seems odd. Maybe there were specific violations that they had problems with in the past. The anti-proselytization part does make sense, of course.

And yeah, the boycott thing... not buying something is a boycott. I guess they mean outspokenly boycotting something, but still.

[Cerridwen]

6. Sounds like you're not allowed to vote?

"-Attempt to influence legislation or an election" - voting in an election may "influence" the election


"-Engage in partisan political activities or other activities designed to influence the outcome of an election to a public office" - voting is "partisan," isn't it?

I am not a lawyer. Strict reading of those two points above leads me, as a layperson, to think it includes voting as a restricted practice.

[gkhouston]

11. "engage in *partisan* political activities..."

No campaigning, donating money, etc., but should be able to vote.

[realisticphish]

19. if that were the case

you'd be hearing my case in federal court. But I'm assuming that means rallies, bumper stickers, etc. (which makes sense, especially with bumper stickers, considering that we will be driving around to sites in our own cars)

But that brings up another thing... am I allowed to go to the Stewart/Colbert rally?

[madfloridian]

10. Well, Teach for America is part of Americorps....I have an idea.

Maybe they should quit being advocates for privatizing schools. You think? Maybe they should quit taking jobs of experienced teachers who are fired for no reason.

TFA just got 50 million from the government. Maybe they should practice some neutrality.

[JDPriestly]

12. Wow! Your lips are sealed. This is quite surprising to me.

Does this apply to all federal employees? After all, you are not in the civil service, are you?

[realisticphish]

16. it did shock me when I read it

There's no way it applies to all federal employees. After all, there are multiple federal worker employees (the Postal Service is unionized, correct?) If they had to sign this, they couldn't unionize.

[JDPriestly]

36. Looking at the list again, it looks a like a list of "thou shalt nots" for

people working for a non-profit. Maybe Teaching For America is a non-profit not a government agency. If so, these restrictions probably apply with regard to your working hours but not to your private life. You should ask someone.

[gratuitous]

13. This looks like a Republican dream wish list

And it was probably put in so as to get AmeriCorps authorized and funded with bipartisan support. While the Republicans aren't too worried about their own "charitable" or "non-profit" activities meddling in political affairs (and in fact, the encourage it), they watch any activities that might stray into liberal do-gooderism with a penetrating gaze. The tip-off for me is the strict prohibition against any union or voter registration activities. You'd probably get a pass if you went to a "non-partisan" Tea Bagger event, but you'd be bounced like a SuperBall if you so much as held a union picketer's jacket.

[realisticphish]

20. I'm sure you're right

and the bitch is, I'm also sure that they don't enforce large parts of it, at least for small-time stuff. But any of those offenses is grounds for discipline (which is basically three strikes). So even if they're lax, it's a bad idea to risk it :shrug:

[realisticphish]

21. BIG CORRECTION HERE!!!

I just noticed some fine print... "at all times while in an official capacity.

But I'll still be asking about this stuff...

[uppityperson]

23. glad to see that. Good luck and thanks for Americorpsing

[Confusious]

24. Hatch act

to prevent political patronage.

of course the bush administration ran afoul of this, and everyone here was screaming.

now it affects someone on our side, and it seems some here want it ignored.

I think they have a word for that, though I seem to forget............

[realisticphish]

25. luckily

I discovered that this is only while acting in a professional capacity. Which makes total sense to me. I just won't have any bumper stickers, and won't get on DU during work hours...

[dogday]

26. More and More corporations want control over their employees even

when they are off the clock. Most of the no smoking companies don't allow their employees to smoke off the clock as well. This is the power we have given to corporations.

[realisticphish]

27. This isn't a corporation, it's the federal government

but you are indeed correct. It can get ridiculous sometimes

[dogday]

42. My dad was in the Military and as long as they did not wear

their uniform, they did not have those restrictions. Forgive my ignorance but what does Americorps do?

:hi:

[WolverineDG]

28. That's while you're on the clock

I worked for legal aid & was "banned" from the same things while on the job.

Off the job, as a private individual, I could do any of those things I wanted, and did.

dg

[realisticphish]

29. yeah, I corrected in a reply

found the small print...

still won't use bumper stickers, since I will be using my car for AC business

[BreweryYardRat]

31. I'm in the process of applying to the AmeriCorps program. Can I ask you some quick questions?

1. How'd you get around the 200 character limit when they ask you for details of your skills? (Step 2 in the application process.)

2. How many jobs did you apply to before one accepted you?

3. Did you think your motivational statement was an important part of your application, or just a formality?

4. What was your work history/community service history like? (I'm short on both, since I just finished my Bachelor's degree.)

Thanks in advance for any answers you can give me.

[realisticphish]

32. i'm kind of in a special situation, but I'll certainly answer the best I can

1. Trial and error :D I HATED those character limits. How in the world can you describe something very complicated in what is basically a Twitter post? I just simplified as much as possible.

2. I only applied to the one. As I said, I was a special case. My job is working with the Ohio Historical Society, and I just finished, this week, my graduate school practicum working in essentially the same department at OHS. One of the people on my interview board I had both worked with, and taken classes with, and another had been a professor of mine. This wasn't some conspiracy or anything, it's just that the library community can be rather small, and these were the people in charge of the project.

3. I honestly don't know. I do think it is important to be honest and detailed. Even if you BS a little bit, you probably wouldn't be applying for AmeriCorps unless you were at least generally positive towards helping other people. Just be clear and thoughtful, and I think it should be fine. Honestly, I'm pretty sure it functions mainly as a screen against people who are applying who would not work well in a service environment.

4. I am an Eagle Scout, and had been a Boy Scout for over 12 years, from Tiger Cubs all the way up. So I had a great deal of experience doing public service with that (especially my Eagle Project, which I talked about in the interview at some length). I also had volunteered at a local public library. I had three years of experience working for a rare books library in college, and a nearly-complete library science master's degree, including experience digitizing manuscripts at OHS for my practicum. It fit the job perfectly.

Honestly, I was VERY VERY lucky. The position opened up right as I needed to be finding a job, and it was run by people I knew personally and had worked with very recently. Not to imply nepotism, they certainly grilled the hell out of me, but they had seen my work, and knew I was a willing and able worker. They also knew, from simply watching, that I had done many of the tasks I would be required to do for the position. I didn't get my first choice position (there are 5 different sites the job is being done at within Ohio), but this one seems to be working out just as well; I get to stay in Columbus, instead of moving to BFE.

I know that there are other AC vets here on DU. I would suggest posting in the Lounge or GD and trying to find some people with experiences that would probably match you better than mine. Good luck, and I really hope you find a position that fits you well.

[BreweryYardRat]

33. Thanks.

I appreciate the help.

[RandomThoughts]

34. Why would someone agree to such a restriction?

I was at work, and the company I worked for had a 'religious discrimination' training program.

One of the things it wanted me to agree with was that it could be religious harassment to offer to pray for someone while in the lunch room. Now I was not the type to go around and talk that way with people, but the point was it was saying what someone had to think.

So I said I would not agree to that, even though I really did not have thoughts to do that, but if I did, I don't think a company should try and make me say that is wrong. They could say their could be some form of disciplinary action based on a company policy, but they worded it to say what was right and wrong, not what they think should be done on the property.

Anyways, I didn't sign it. I got removed from management on the day that item was required to be sent in, although they made other excuses for why. The boss asked why I didn't just sign it, and he said it didn't mean anything. I asked, if it didn't mean anything why was I removed from management for not signing it?

Anyways, that sounds like a terrible requirement to be in some group, I could understand them saying that the organization is not for some of those purposes, but making someone sign that is not something I would do, nor would I sign such a thing. But each person can choose as they want.

So same concept is in the corporate system.

Note my objection to the incident I spoke of, is that it said what I should think in a method that I would have to agree with the premise, not setting some idea of what a company expected while on company property.

[realisticphish]

35. well

as I figured out higher up in the thread, the fine print says this only applies while I am performing my duties as an AmeriCorps member. Since we're a service organization paid for by the taxpayers, I think most of those are reasonable restrictions while on duty.

[RandomThoughts]

37. yea it is different then the situation I was in.

It does not say what you have to think, just what you do when in that group.

Also, if someone did sign the thing I mentioned in the post, and did not think it had meaning then it did not for them. I found it offensive to tell people what they should think in a religious discrimination training coarse. So I did not sign it to make a point on how it was saying what they thought 'was', not what some company required in the lunch room.

Although those that did sign it would not be any worse or better then the choice I made, I just thought it was wrong.

[realisticphish]

38. no, i see your point

especially the point about if it has no meaning, why is it an issue? Anytime someone scoffs, and says "oh these are just boilerplate forms, it's just a bunch of hooey," I'm immediately suspicious. There's usually a reason that you have to fill out a form, and it's worth investigating...

[RandomThoughts]

39. Love your picture of the vault dweller pipboy.

[babylonsister]

41. Congrats on getting a job! nt