Can your employer tell you to remove...

[Papa Deuce]

In Fire Fighters Association v. Barr, 742 F.Supp. 1182 (DDC 1990), a federal district court in Washington, D.C. ruled in favor of a group of firefighters who had been disciplined for distributing bumper stickers that were derogatory to the fire department. The court found that the fire department’s bumper-sticker policy was unconstitutional. Similarly, a federal district court in Missouri ruled in Goodman v. City of Kansas City, 906 F.Supp. 537 (W.D. Mo. 1995), that a regulation prohibiting employees with cars displaying campaign bumper stickers from parking in lots controlled by the city was unconstitutional, writing, “The right to express oneself about issues and candidates at election time is an essential part of our constitutional democracy.”

 

[lovepurple]

In Fire Fighters Association v. Barr, 742 F.Supp. 1182 (DDC 1990), a federal district court in Washington, D.C. ruled in favor of a group of firefighters who had been disciplined for distributing bumper stickers that were derogatory to the fire department. The court found that the fire department’s bumper-sticker policy was unconstitutional. Similarly, a federal district court in Missouri ruled in Goodman v. City of Kansas City, 906 F.Supp. 537 (W.D. Mo. 1995), that a regulation prohibiting employees with cars displaying campaign bumper stickers from parking in lots controlled by the city was unconstitutional, writing, “The right to express oneself about issues and candidates at election time is an essential part of our constitutional democracy.”

I don't believe the fire department or the city parking lots are private property.
I wouldn't want my employees parking in front of my building with political bumper stickers. I don't like it when my son stops by with his sticker that has a picture of a dachsund and says "I love my weiner".

 

[LotsOfQuestions]

In Fire Fighters Association v. Barr, 742 F.Supp. 1182 (DDC 1990), a federal district court in Washington, D.C. ruled in favor of a group of firefighters who had been disciplined for distributing bumper stickers that were derogatory to the fire department. The court found that the fire department’s bumper-sticker policy was unconstitutional. Similarly, a federal district court in Missouri ruled in Goodman v. City of Kansas City, 906 F.Supp. 537 (W.D. Mo. 1995), that a regulation prohibiting employees with cars displaying campaign bumper stickers from parking in lots controlled by the city was unconstitutional, writing, “The right to express oneself about issues and candidates at election time is an essential part of our constitutional democracy.”

Thank you for providing this prime example of Freedom of Speech rights and government.

Huge difference between a city controlled, public lot and a privately owned lot.

You have 1st admendment rights in the government controlled lot. You do not in a privately owned lot.

 

[doxdogy]

Just subscribing in case the OP comes back and tells what the bumper sticker says.

 

[SadieDog]

Just subscribing in case the OP comes back and tells what the bumper sticker says.

Same here. Now I want to know.

 

[WaltD4Me]

Since we still don't know what the bumper sticker says, I'm just gonna say, no big deal to the OP, may indeed be a big deal to her boss, also known as her employer and the the one who signs her paycheck.

If NJ is an at will work state, he boss can fire her for the bumper sticker, she could probably sue for un-employment benefits and win, but the boss wouldn't be forced to give her the job back.

And this has nothing to do with free speech...or at least nothing the ACLU would get involved with. What if she wanted to wear a t-shirt with the bumper sticker saying on it to work? Would that be okay? Assuming whatever it says is mildy offensive.

 

[Shugardrawers]

Possible that has changed, or if you were at headquarters maybe it's different than in the plants. Friend of ours is a die-hard coca cola person, but needed a job, and took a job with Pepsi. He brought a Coke every single day and drank it in the break room, and no one had a problem with it.

Granted, it's been a LONG time, but I used to work for Coca Cola back in '98. At that time we were told they didn't care what we purchased or consumed but if it was a Pepsi product and we were in uniform we had to put it in a different container. No promoting the competitor product in uniform. If you got a soda at a mini mart and that had pepsi logo cups you had to have your own in your truck. Otherwise, according to our boss, as long as you were not in uniform and not on duty it was none of his business.

Good thing too because I'm a diet pepsi gal I have no idea what the policy is now.

 

[Mickeyistheman]

Thank you Papa Duece for showing that story.

I myself would like to know what it says, but I really think that this should not be an issue. Just because New Jersey is an At Will State doesn't mean that she/he can't sue them for firing her.

She owns her car, so she can put whatever she wants on it.

I mean its kind of discriminating if you ask me. The boss is discrimintating against her choice which is her right.

Yes she works for the company but I really feel this is such a non issue unless it is something that is very very offensive.

But I say again what if a customer's car is parked there with different or even more offensive things and another prospective customer comes along and see THAT car.

hmmmmmmmm

 

[Amlee]

Thank you Papa Duece for showing that story.

I myself would like to know what it says, but I really think that this should not be an issue. Just because New Jersey is an At Will State doesn't mean that she/he can't sue them for firing her.

She owns her car, so she can put whatever she wants on it.

I mean its kind of discriminating if you ask me. The boss is discrimintating against her choice which is her right.

Yes she works for the company but I really feel this is such a non issue unless it is something that is very very offensive.

But I say again what if a customer's car is parked there with different or even more offensive things and another prospective customer comes along and see THAT car.

hmmmmmmmm

Yes, she could sue the company if that is what she is fired for. But if the boss is smart, then he could build a strong case and win.

No the boss isn't discrimntating agasint anyone. She may own the car and it is within her rights to put what she wants where. But it's his property so there fore he has the right to say who parks were and when. Be it a rental property or owned property.

There is nothing that the company can do about a customer's car. Most likely it's not going to be parked where everyone can see it all day long. Where an employee's car could be.

 

[lillygator]

I still want to know!

 

[Hedy]

I still want to know!

Me too. This thread is worthless without more information.

 

[CathrynRose]

Me too. This thread is worthless without more information.

You got that right.

Im half tempted to start thowing insults around to get this thread locked.

Nimwit.

 

[Cool-Beans]

I don't think the OP is going to tell us what her bumper sticker says.

 

[kbeverina]

It's not discrimination. Owners of bumper stickers that other people don't like are not a protected class.

 

[lovepurple]

I saw a bumper sticker today (it looked homemade) that said "I voted for Monica Lewinsky's boyfriend's wife". I am thinking Hillary probably wouldn't like that endorsement. The guy also had some anti-Bush ones.

 

[CathrynRose]

I don't think the OP is going to tell us what her bumper sticker says.

Thats okay - just name call and we can get the thread locked.

Clown.

 

[Cool-Beans]

Clown.

I know you are, but what am I?

Poopie-head.

 

[Imzadi]

I'm probably in the minority here. While I dying to know what the bumper sticker says too, I respect the OP's right to keep that info to herself. If you are aware at all about the what has happened at the DIS a couple months ago, you know that what happens on the DIS doesn't necessarily stay on the DIS.

If the OP posts her bumper sticker and it turns into a heated debate, something very likely on the DIS, even if she later deletes the info, or even has the Mods delete the whole thread, a screen capture picture could have been made of her post & posted, umm, elsewhere, where she can't have it deleted. She may receive nasty PMs, backlash, (or whatever) because of it.

MySpacers, Facebook people & Youtubers will tell you, if you don't want something in cyberspace, don't put it out there.

The OP didn't start this thread to post her political views, she came for info. Through the help of us DISers, she got the info she needed. She found out the distinctions in the 1st Amendment, that even a person only leases the driveway instead of owning it, he has been leased the rights to privately use it as he pleases. And perhaps, her political views which may seem normal to her, might be more politically & emotionally volatile (to others) than she realized.

 

[kbeverina]

I'm probably in the minority here. While I dying to know what the bumper sticker says too, I respect the OP's right to keep that info to herself. If you are aware at all about the what has happened at the DIS a couple months ago, you know that what happens on the DIS doesn't necessarily stay on the DIS.

If the OP posts her bumper sticker and it turns into a heated debate, something very likely on the DIS, even if she later deletes the info, or even has the Mods delete the whole thread, a screen capture picture could have been made of her post & posted, umm, elsewhere, where she can't have it deleted. She may receive nasty PMs, backlash, (or whatever) because of it.

MySpacers, Facebook people & Youtubers will tell you, if you don't want something in cyberspace, don't put it out there.

The OP didn't start this thread to post her political views, she came for info. Through the help of us DISers, she got the info she needed. She found out the distinctions in the 1st Amendment, that even a person only leases the driveway instead of owning it, he has been leased the rights to privately use it as he pleases. And perhaps, her political views which may seem normal to her, might be more politically & emotionally volatile (to others) than she realized.

I don't think the message on the bumper sticker matters. But I really don't understand what you mean by "what has happened at the DIS"--what happened that's so awful that posting a bumper sticker message on a message board is so different than posting the same message on your car?

 

[CathrynRose]

I don't think the message on the bumper sticker matters. But I really don't understand what you mean by "what has happened at the DIS"--what happened that's so awful that posting a bumper sticker message on a message board is so different than posting the same message on your car?

She means theres generally a gang mentality here, and people get awfully big and bad behind their monitor - and it would turn into a locked thread with points.

Butt Nuggets.