Can I be discriminated against for political beliefs?

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On facebook I have a habit of getting into discussions about the social aspects of politics. Im a conservative, I never use any racial epithets, never threaten violence and I use statistics to substantiate any claims I make. With that being said, conservative opinions are frowned upon today. With colleges and i'm assuming places of work being very liberal is there any way I could not be able to become a nurse because of me using my first amendment rights and expressing my beliefs?

Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Macawake, you officially understand the First Amendment better than probably like 70% of American citizens...

And that is a very sad thing indeed that people who are covered by the Constitution don't understand it when those who aren't do.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Where people run into trouble when publicly making political statements on facebook is when they have their employer listed and it pops up next to their public profile. You say something inflammatory and your employer may want to distance themselves from you.

Also, it's not discrimination. While, as others have said, the government cannot restrict your free speech and posting your opinions on facebook certainly falls under free speech, freedom of speech is not freedom from consequences of that speech. Hence, why people were allowed to carry tiki torches and chant racist things in Charlottesville but, once their employers got wind of it, they decided they no longer wanted to employ these people. The vast majority of employment in the United States is "at will" meaning either you or your employer are free to terminate the employee-employer relationship at any time for any reason or no reason at all, save for a select few (such as gender or race) that are prohibited by law.

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I guess my question is: Why do you feel the need to state political beliefs at work?

I am a raging liberal, but none of my co-workers know that. We never discuss politics. We are all too busy caring for our patients to talk politics. To blow-off stress, we sometimes watch videos by some MD who made one to the tune of Friends In Low Places, renamed, Friends With Low Platelets.

And we sometimes look at houses for sale on-line. But we NEVER discuss politics.

My advise is to find some other way to bond with co-workers.

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I was sitting for a pediatric patient last week and the mom brought up politics. I told her "I don't really listen to the news much, I am too busy with nursing school". If I wasn't in nursing school, I would find another way to deflect it. Politics can ruin a good nurse/uap patient relationship instantly, no need to make work harder than it needs to be. I also had a preceptor who was very much at the extreme side of a one of the political spectrum, but she was an AWESOME preceptor/nurse. Although, I did not agree with some of the things she said politically she was a great nurse and I was there to learn.

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I'm very liberal and live in a very conservative area. From bits and pieces I've heard coworkers discuss, I assume I'm in the minority. It doesn't change how I feel about the people I work with: I still respect them 100%.

That being said, I don't share my political opinions even amongst coworkers I know share my beliefs - I just don't think it's professional.

As far as Facebook goes, I had a teaching degree and worked in public schools before going into healthcare - I purged my profile of all political content back then, and have kept up the habit. I really only discuss politics with my family and perhaps 3 or so close friends, but that's just my preference: some people want to be much more active and discuss politics much more broadly. Their preference.

While, legally, no one can discriminate against you, they can certainly still judge you. It's safer just to abstain.

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Keep your political allegiance to yourself, especially working in health care. What the republican party has become runs counter to what most health care positions have traditionally symbolized: positions of caring, empathy and equal access to healthcare as a human right. As a nurse I certainly don't want to know that a co-worker has an allegiance to a party that espouses racism and bigotry as virtues, and as a pt., I'd be dismayed to know that the person charged with looking out for my best interests harbors cruel, anti-American beliefs.

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I don't know if you are racist, but if you are supporting Trump, you are supporting a racist/neo-nazi sympathizer.

I've been called a "commie" and been told numerous times to "go back to your country" whenever I voiced support for things like universal health care. Couple guys I knew called me that years ago, and they are now fervent Trump supporters.

Heh. It's like the cop that's in the news right now for having a Nazi tattoo. "But that doesn't mean I'm a Nazi!!!!" How exactly does that work again???? /s

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

When I started my new job, I broke my cardinal rule and accepted a facebook request from a coworker. Once one of them was friends, I had to friend ALL of them, or it might be looked upon as favoritism. So I friended everyone who requested. That was last October, right before the election. After one of the nurses in my unit said some things about abortion that I found incredibly distasteful, I decided that I had my cardinal rule for a reason, and I unfriended every single person with whom I work, and I have kept that hard line in the sand. I need to be able to work with these people and not think to myself how disgusting I think their views are. That's not conducive to a productive work relationship.

Facebook and work do not mix. Politics and work do not mix (although, I admit that I do engage in a bit of kvetching behind closed doors with those coworkers I know share my beliefs).

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
Why are you surprised? The 1st Amendment states: "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." Quite clearly only refers to the government. Doesn't say a darn thing about anything/one else. And besides, just because one can say it without government interference doesn't mean that one remains free of the consequences.

I actually wholeheartedly agree with you _ It's just that so many people misbelieve that the 1st amendment gives them the right to speak their mind when ever and wherever. I learned a long time ago that rights and consequences go hand in hand but my friend wanted proof.

Hppy

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At work, be aware of how much personal information about yourself you are giving away.

You don't have to be friends with coworkers on social media, you don't have to share your political views, you don't have to give out details of your personal life. Once that information is out there, it cannot be taken back and can be used against you in gossip.

So, leave a bit of mystery about yourself at work.

Beware of discussions that turn into political rants. Some people can't help themselves. At my father's funeral last week, my uncle gave the eulogy and got off track and subjected us in the church to a long political rant. It was uncomfortable for everyone.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

The job and service nurses should only be about safe advocating for our clients, patients, and or residents....and utilizing optimum critical thinking skills... pERIOD

Trust my with almost five decades experience

That my friend is the bottom line....

Best wishes

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Since others have answered the explicit question posed, I would like to take a moment to offer a solution to your implicit concerns. The implicit question being, "Can I work as a nurse while continuing to shove my unsolicited opinions down everyone's throats?" The following will probably offend you, but I promise, my advice is meant to help you to find a professional environment in which you will fit in and feel comfortable.

You should seek a position at a military hospital. In this environment, nurses openly discuss their far-right views in earshot of patients and management. I'm talkin' let's form a militia in the middle of the woods and hunker in the bunker to prepare for the forthcoming apocalypse perpetrated (of course) by identity politics, liberal snowflakes, and Black Lives Matter. When these so-called professionals rail about the evils of the government, there is no sense of irony regarding the fact that their lives are 100% subsidized by the American taxpayer. Also, there is absolutely no accountability for anything that occurs within the hospital because it's the military.

And yes, they do hire civilian nurses. Good luck, friend!

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