It’s Election Season: Reminders About Agency Resources & Social Media

With less than a month until school board and municipal elections, we want to remind you of some guidelines for using agency resources and social media as they relate to political activity.  

Agency Time, Email and Computers

• It is essential for you to send communications to candidates and officeholders from your PERSONAL email account or using your own telephone. It is against the law for AEA employees to lobby candidates or officeholders using agency email or phones. 
• Do not send any such messages during agency work hours, as that would also be a violation of the law. 
• More guidance is provided in Section 14:5 of the Staff Handbook. 

Staff Handbook Guidelines 

Section 14:5 Political Activity 

• 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. 

Social Media 

Also, remember your responsibilities when it comes to social media. 

• In addition to the guidelines from the Staff Handbook listed below, you are encouraged to make sure comments you make on your own social media accounts are your own and can not be construed as coming from the Agency. 
• If you’re posting to any official agency social media accounts, make sure the content doesn’t delve into anything of a political nature. 

Staff Handbook Guidelines 

Section 14:11 Social Media Guidelines 

Heartland AEA believes that there is a great deal of inherent value in social media sites. However, Heartland AEA expects staff members who participate in online commentary to be aware of and adhere to the following guidelines. The ultimate goal of these guidelines is to ensure that Heartland AEA employees participate in social media in a respectful and professional manner. 

• Take care to never misrepresent yourself or Heartland AEA; always be prepared and willing to substantiate any claims that you make on the Internet and do not engage in dishonesty. 
• Keep common courtesy in mind in all of your online transactions and exchanges. 
• Obtain permission before disclosing private conversations or confidential information from within Heartland AEA. 
• Don't "derail" topics on social media websites; don’t engage in spam activity and don’t go off topic or use offensive terms or tactics. 
• Should you disagree with someone while having a discussion on a social media site, be polite. If you are unsure about how to proceed or about how to disengage from a potentially volatile situation, seek guidance from your supervisor or the Communications Department. 
• During online discussions, conversations and other communications, always remain within your area of expertise. Feel free to give your own unique perspective on issues and topics, as long as they are not confidential in nature. 
• Be conscientious about never discussing or disclosing the legal activities of Heartland AEA. Should Heartland AEA be engaged in litigation with another organization, avoid discussing that organization at all times when participating in social media. 
• If a topic being discussed within a social media site could be considered a crisis situation, refrain from participating. Get your supervisor or the Communications Department involved in such scenarios. 
• Always make your privacy and Heartland AEA’s confidential information your number one priority when participating online. Anything you publish will be accessible to the world at large and may be accessible for a very long time. Never act impulsively and think carefully before clicking the "publish" button. 

In addition to the preceding guidelines, keep the following points in mind when participating in social media: 

• Respect fair use, copyright and financial disclosure laws. 
• Cite others who may be blogging or discussing the topic on hand online. 
• Always try to add value through whatever online interactions you are participating in. Remember what you say and do online reflects upon Heartland AEA’s reputation—strive to keep the Heartland AEA brand in mind. 
• Just because it is possible for you to comment, does not make it right for you to comment.