Overview

• Attorneys emphasize that the First Amendment restrains government, not private companies, and say at-will workers can be dismissed over social-media posts that violate policy or harm reputation.
• Multiple employers report terminations or suspensions tied to celebratory or justificatory remarks, naming OfficeMax/Office Depot, Nasdaq, MSNBC, the Washington Post, several colleges and universities, and United Airlines.
• Texas officials are reviewing educator conduct, with more than 100 teachers suspended or in suspension proceedings over comments about the killing, and the legislature forming bipartisan committees to examine campus speech issues.
• U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said hate speech and incitement are not protected and stated the Justice Department is looking into an OfficeMax case after an employee refused to print a memorial flyer for Kirk.
• Public employees operate under a disruption-based test for off-duty speech, a framework legal analysts say can be pressured by online campaigns that tag employers to generate outrage.