Can I post this?
Pick who you are and what you want to do, and get a yes, a no or an “only if” under the Hatch Act, with the rule behind it.
- Federal, State and Local
- Runs in Your Browser
- Cites 5 U.S.C. 7323
The Answer
Answer the questions and the answer appears here, with the rule it rests on.
This is a first read, not a ruling, so for a formal answer ask your agency’s ethics office or the Office of Special Counsel.
This covers the Hatch Act; active-duty military follow their own directive, congressional staff follow House and Senate rules, and states have their own laws.
How It Works
- Pick who you are: a federal employee, further restricted, state or local, or a contractor.
- Pick what you want to do, and whether you’d be on duty.
- Get a yes, a no or an “only if”, with the rule it rests on and a link to share.
Sources
Last reviewed . Free, with no account.
Questions
Can federal employees post about politics on social media?
Off duty and away from work, yes, as long as they never ask for donations and don’t use their title. On duty, in a federal building or on a government device, they can’t post, share or like partisan content.
Can a federal employee donate to a political campaign?
Yes, on their own time. What they can never do, on duty or off, is ask for or accept political contributions, which includes sharing a donation link or a fundraiser invitation (5 U.S.C. 7323).
Can a federal employee run for office?
Yes in a nonpartisan election, such as most school board races. Not in a partisan election, except as an independent in certain designated localities near Washington (5 CFR 733).
Does the Hatch Act apply to state and local employees?
To those whose jobs are paid for in part with federal money. They can’t run in partisan elections, use their office to affect an election, or pressure other employees to give (5 U.S.C. 1502). State laws can be stricter.
Who is a further restricted federal employee?
Employees of agencies such as the FBI, CIA, NSA, Secret Service and the Election Commission, plus career SES members and administrative law judges. They may not take an active part in partisan campaigns, even off duty.
Does the Hatch Act apply to government contractors?
No. It covers federal civilian employees and some state and local employees, not contractor employees, though a company’s own policy can limit political activity at work.
Public service, on the record.
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