Be Politically Active! But Please Remember These Guidelines

As we enter the peak campaign season for the 2016 election cycle, we want to remind you of the following guidelines that should guide your decision making as a Heartland AEA staff member as it relates to political activity. 



You are encouraged to contact your state and federal legislators about issues that are important to you, especially issues that involve the AEAs. Personally contacting legislators to tell them “your AEA story” can be very powerful when it comes time for them to make decisions about education policy and funding. But when it comes to contacting legislators about the AEAs, there are guidelines that must be followed. 




It is essential for you to send communications to legislators from your PERSONAL email account or stationery or using your own telephone. It is against the law for AEA employees to lobby legislators using agency email or stationery. Please do not send any such messages during agency work hours, as that would also be a violation of the law.



Section 14:6 of the Staff Handbook “Political Activity” further details guidelines for political activity:



The Agency is actively interested in legislation regarding AEAs and education. Heartland AEA encourages employees to be individually engaged in civic and political activities; however, employees will not expend or permit the expenditure of public monies for the support or opposition of a candidate or ballot issue.

• Employees may attend political caucuses on Heartland AEA property that are open generally to the public.
• Employees may engage in political activities of their choosing on their own time off Heartland AEA premises.
• Expenditure of public money includes, but is not limited to, direct expenditure of funds, use of property or equipment and use of staff time during working hours.
• Limited examples of prohibited uses of public funds include the following:
• Placing political signs on real estate owned or leased by a political subdivision.
• Display of political posters, brochures, flyers or other promotional literature in areas accessible to the public.
• Providing mailing lists, databases or other compilations prepared for a public purpose unless they are made available to all members of the public for the same consideration.
• Use of office equipment such as copy, fax or postage machines, computer hardware/software or calculators.
• Employees engaging in campaign activities of any sort during working hours.
• Use of telephones owned or leased by the political subdivision to make calls in support of or opposition to a ballot issue or a candidate.
  

If you have any questions about political activity, contact your supervisor.