Messages Can Run Afoul of Hatch Act

In what serves as an election year warning, the Office of Special Counsel has emphasized that communications through social media are covered by the Hatch Act prohibitions on partisan political activities by federal employees. OSC said that an employee has resigned as OSC was preparing to bring charges related to sending tweets about partisan elections and candidates while on duty—some of them soliciting contributions, which itself is a violation. In prior guidance, OSC said that the Hatch Act prohibits sending e-mails that advocate for a political party or candidate for partisan public office while on duty or in a federal building, and that there is no distinction regarding the amount of political content, nor regarding the number of employees receiving the message. However, receiving such a communication is not in itself a violation.