Political Activities

This policy applies to all University General Division and USA Health staff employees, Administrators, Physicians, and Clinical Faculty.

 

This policy does not apply to any political activity sanctioned and approved by the University’s administration, to employees whose essential functions are directly associated with political activities, or employees that have been approved to participate in political activities by the Vice President of Government Relations, the University Executive Vice President, and the University President, exclusive of approvals pursuant to Section 5 of this policy.

Political Activity: actions taken by individuals to influence government, including policy-making, elections, political parties, and appointed or elected government officials. It implies an active role in political life, often involving direct engagement or support for specific political aims, but does not include the act of voting. 

 

Public Office: any position at the state, county, or municipal level of government, or their instrumentalities, to which a person is appointed or elected.

    

4.1.1  Employees shall not participate in any political activity while acting in the status of a representative of the University (whether on duty or off duty), except as expressly permitted by this Policy.

             

4.1.2  No employee may engage in political activity while: on duty; in a uniform that identifies the employee as a University employee; or in a University office or building (except when in such place as a private citizen and not as an employee).

 

4.1.3  Employees are free to engage in political activity associated with city, county, state, and federal campaigns, but may only do so on personal time, with personal resources, and without giving the impression that their activity is endorsed by the University.

 

4.1.4  The individual use or appearance of use of University resources, time, or property for or on behalf of any political candidate, campaign, or organization, or for any contribution to or solicitation of a political campaign or organization, is prohibited and may violate the Alabama Ethics Act, Alabama Code § 36-25-1, et seq.

 

4.1.5  No supplies, equipment, or property belonging to the University may be used in conducting a political campaign or other political activity.

 

4.1.6  Employees may not wear campaign buttons or other campaign paraphernalia while wearing a uniform that identifies the employee as a University employee.

 

4.1.7  Employees may not display campaign paraphernalia upon University property (except when in such place as a private citizen and not an employee).

 

4.1.8  Employees may not be involved in the management of a political campaign for elected office of any candidate, including for their own candidacy, during their working hours. 

 

4.1.9  Employees may not solicit any endorsements, contributions, or services for any political party, interest group, campaign, or other private cause during work hours.

 

4.1.10  Employees may not use official authority or the influence of an employment position for the purpose of any political activity.

 

4.1.11  No employee shall attempt to direct or coerce any University employee to contribute or participate in any political campaign, political activity, or political cause. No employee’s pay, personnel status, or promotion shall be made dependent on any such activity.

 

4.1.12  Employees are expected to refrain from efforts to convert others to a political cause during working hours.

 

4.1.13  Employees must use accrued vacation or Paid Time Off (PTO), as applicable, to attend political campaigns or related events that interfere with working hours. Please review Section 5.2.2 of the Staff Employee Handbook for additional information related to the approval of vacation time, or Section  5.3.4 for the procedures related to the approval of PTO. If no accrued time is available, approved leave without pay may be granted. Approval of unpaid time off is at the full discretion of the employee’s supervisor and department head, provided that approval or denial is based solely on work-related factors

 

4.1.14  No employee or applicant for employment for the University shall be required to divulge personal information concerning political affiliations, activities, or beliefs as a condition of present or future employment.

 

4.1.15  Employees whose principal duties are funded in whole or in part by federal grants or loans may be subject to the federal Hatch Act (5 U.S.C. §§ 1501–1508), which prohibits candidacy in partisan political elections. These restrictions apply regardless of job title and are based on the nature of funding. Employees intending to run for public office should consult Human Resources and the Office of Sponsored Programs to determine if the Hatch Act applies to their position. If applicable, continuing in a federally funded role while pursuing partisan candidacy may not be permitted. If funding allows candidacy in partisan political elections, the employee must follow the approval procedures in Section 5.1 of this Policy.

 

 

4.2.1  No employee may seek or hold public office and remain in the employ of the University if such activities could or would result in a conflict of interest or, in the University’s sole discretion, interfere with the employee carrying out his/her University responsibilities.

 

4.2.2  Employees shall inform their supervisors in writing of their decision to qualify for elective office at the time they have presented their request for qualification as a candidate of election for public office.

 

4.2.3  Employees who are elected for or appointed to full-time public office will submit their resignation at the time their election or appointment to public office is official. Such resignations will be upon the standard forms and will be processed in the same manner as all other resignations. See Section 2.3.4 of the Staff Employee Handbook for the University’s Resignation Policy and Procedure. Such persons, so resigning, will do so without any guarantee by the University that they may be re-employed at the expiration of the term of office for which they have been elected or appointed.

 

4.2.4  Employees of the University may serve in nominally remunerative/part-time public offices provided the duties and responsibilities of such offices do not interfere with the proper performance of the duties of such employees to the University. In such cases, it will be the duty of the employee, before qualifying for such nominally public office, to receive the approval of the University. Such approval will depend only upon the effect of the public office on the employee's ability to perform his or her University duties. However, in no case will such approval carry with it any obligation of the University to support any such candidate. Approval will require a letter of understanding signed by the employee’s supervisor, Division Head, the President, and the Vice President of Government Relations.

 

4.2.5  Employees seeking part-time public office, or currently approved to serve in a part-time appointment to public office, shall remain in compliance with Section 2.2.4: Outside Employment, in the Staff Employee Handbook and this Policy, which is also located in Section 4.10: Political Activities, in the Staff Employee Handbook.

 

4.2.6  Notwithstanding the foregoing, pursuant to Alabama Code  § 29-1-26, no employee of the University may be a member of the Alabama Legislature.

5.1  Employees Running for or Appointed to Part-Time Public Office Request for Approval Process: Subject to Section 4.2.6 of this Policy, only employees elected or appointed to part-time public office are allowed to remain employed at the University, provided the duties and responsibilities of such offices do not interfere with the proper performance of the duties of such employees to the University, as determined in the University’s sole discretion.

 

5.1.1  An employee running for elective public office or appointed to the same shall prepare and sign a hard-copy memorandum of intent describing the type and term of office and must include the employee’s plan for managing potential conflicts of interest and preventing interference with performance of his/her University responsibilities.  The memorandum should address implications of Section 4.1.15 and the evaluation that was conducted to ensure the Hatch Act does not prohibit the employee from pursuing partisan candidacy.

 

5.1.2  The memorandum of intent will be first sent to the employee’s immediate supervisor, Department Head, and Division Head for review.

 

5.1.3  The Division Head will ensure that the memorandum of intent is reviewed by the University President and the Vice President of Government Relations.

 

5.1.4  Final approval will require the signature of all those required to review: Immediate supervisor, Department Head, Division Head, Human Resources, Vice President of Government Relations, and the University President.

 

5.1.5  Copy of the approved memorandum of intent will be kept in the employee’s personnel file.

 

5.1.6  If the request is denied, the immediate supervisor, Department Head, and Division Head will prepare a response explaining the reason(s) for the denial. There is no appeal from this decision.

7.1  Resignation Policy and Procedure (Section 2.3.4) from the Staff Employee Handbook

7.2  Attendance and Leave – Section 5.2.2: Vacation, or Section 5.3.4: PTO from the Staff Employee Handbook

7.3  Outside Employment – Section 2.2.4 from the Staff Employee Handbook

7.3  Speech, Expressive Activities, and Use of University Space, Facilities, and Grounds (University Policy)

7.4  University of South Alabama Camps, Conferences and Special Events Policy  (Page 5, Item 3)

7.5  Alabama Code § 36-25-1

7.6  Alabama Code  § 29-1-26