Campaigning on the job.

[southpaw]

I work for a non-profit agency that recieves state and federal funding.

I was recently ordered to remove all of my "Clark for President"
paraphernalia from my office because "campaigning is forbidden on the premises because the agency is funded by state and federal monies."

This sounds plausible, but I'm not convinced that it is a fact.

Can anyone offer any info or tell me where I may look for info on this topic?

Thanks

[ajacobson]

1. Depends

on your state laws and the relationship of your agency to the Federal government. Hatch Act provisions mainly effect state or local governmental agencies that receive Federal money, but also:

"Hatch Act provisions also apply to employees of private, nonprofit organizations which plan, develop and coordinate federal Head Start, Community Services Block Grants or Economic Opportunity programs."

As for state law binding your political free speech, you'd have to check your state Secretary of State or Bureau of Election, I imagine. However, most of the stuff I was able to find on the Internet focused on direct employees, not grantees or employees of grantees.

[adriennel]

2. Bush does plenty of it

so it must be allowed, huh?
seriously, I have displayed anti-Bush and anti-Iraqi war paraphanelia at work. I work for the federal government(well, I'm a contractor or "second-tier" employee). No one has ever asked me to remove these materials. I believe I am covered by first amendment rights (though this is not guaranteed either these days.)
I don't know about non-profits, sorry!