Perceived Exercise of First Amendment Rights May Be Protected

Katherine Garbarino was quoted in SHRM on January 29, 2016. The article “Perceived Exercise of First Amendment Rights May Be Protected” examined a U.S. Supreme Court case in which a Paterson, N.J., police detective, Jeffrey Heffernan, claimed he was demoted after his bosses assumed he was supporting a candidate for mayor whom the police chief opposed. Heffernan was seen carrying a yard sign for the candidate, but he argues he was picking it up for his mother and did not support the candidate himself.

Katherine told SHRM Online, “If the Supreme Court rules in Heffernan’s favor, it will add another level of constitutional protection to the political expression of public employees.”

To read the full article, please visit SHRM.