Guidance spells out when and how feds can discuss the Israel-Hamas war

Federal employees can discuss the Israel-Hamas war in the workplace and can even express their opinions on it, according to new guidance from the independent agency that oversees the law limiting civil servants’ political speech, though they still face some restrictions. 

Agency workers are permitted to voice their political opinions under the Hatch Act—and protected in doing so—the Office of Special Counsel spelled out in its new guidance this week, including on the current war Israel and Hamas are waging. OSC said employees can speak out on issues, such as supporting or opposing a ceasefire, so long as they do not do so in the context of favoring or disapproving of any particular political party. They can, of course, advocate for or oppose political parties for their positions on the ceasefire so long as they are not on duty, in the workplace or acting in an official capacity. 

As the conflict has created political firestorms across the country, federal workplaces have drawn particular attention as employees have increasingly spoken out. An anonymous group of more than 400 political appointees and career employees in the Biden administration recently put forward an open letter calling for a ceasefire and criticizing the U.S. government’s resolute support of Israel in the face of thousands of civilian deaths in Gaza, as reported by NBC News. That led Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., to write a letter to OSC asking it investigate any potential Hatch Act violations regarding the ceasefire call, suggesting it could have been drafted in coordination with political entities in an unlawful manner. 

“If this suspicion were to be true, it would constitute major violation of the Hatch Act, which places certain prohibitions on partisan political activities for federal employees while at work,” Rubio said. 

The senator also asked a wide range of inspectors general to uncover who at their agencies signed the letter, publicize the names and investigate any wrongdoing. 

OSC said it received “numerous questions” regarding the restrictions the Hatch Act places on federal employees’ speech regarding the war between Israel and Gaza. The agency rejected that signing a letter such as the one Rubio cited would itself constitute a violation. 

As an example of acceptable activity, OSC said employees are permitted to say while at work, “I support/oppose a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas and encourage everyone I know to write their senators and representatives to build support for that position.” They could similarly say they support or oppose the administration’s position. Employees would violate the Hatch Act if they said at work a ceasefire should occur and they therefore call on their colleagues to vote out any lawmakers, or President Biden, who disagree. 

“If an employee’s conduct and expressions are issue-based and not political activity, then the Hatch Act does not apply to that conduct and those expressions,” OSC said. “If it is political activity, then the Hatch Act prohibits employees from engaging in that activity while on duty or in the federal workplace.” 

Employees are also welcome to attend rallies and demonstrations calling for or opposing a ceasefire, for example, so long as they are off duty. 

OSC stressed that any discrimination or retaliation against employees participating in activity protected by the new guidance could constitute a prohibited personnel practice. Any employee who feels discriminated against can file a claim with OSC, the agency said. It noted that agencies may have their own rules unique to their workforces, and employees should consult with their own ethics offices to clarify them. 

State Department employees have reportedly sent “dissent cables” to leadership to voice their support for a de-escalation of Israel’s offensive in Gaza, though employees there and agencies such as CIA have been warned against publicly using certain words regarding the conflict.