First Amendment Freak Out: How Public Employees Can Survive a First Amendment Audit

If you’re a public entity – a government office, school district, police station, public library and so on – there are steps you can take to survive a First Amendment audit that are very similar to advice given to clients about ambush news interviews. First, keep your cool. No matter how dark your mood ring is when you’re ambushed by First Amendment auditors, bite your lip, take a deep breath and be as polite, calm and helpful as you can when confronted. Next, place prominent signage to identify “employee-only” areas. Most importantly, have a plan. The best insurance against your organization getting caught unprepared? Be sure you have a crisis communication plan that anticipates and helps you address a First Amendment audit and other nightmare scenarios your office could face. Read the full article from Hennes Communications here.