Key Takeaways: The difference between free speech and job-protected speech—and why it matters How to assess the impact of employee expression on your mission, operations, and team dynamics Steps to ensure fair, consistent enforcement of workplace policies across all viewpoints How to train managers to intervene neutrally and avoid injecting personal politics into the workplace What legal protections exist for off-duty conduct, and how to avoid missteps in discipline Whether your organization is responding to internal tensions or proactively preparing for future challenges, this session will help you build a thoughtful, legally sound approach to employee speech. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to: ✅ Audit and update policies on political expression, social media, and dress codes ✅ Train managers to handle political tensions respectfully and neutrally ✅ Monitor enforcement for bias and consistency ✅ Prepare for protest-related absences and disruptions ✅ Seek legal counsel early in high-risk or high-visibility situations

Workshop Goals: Examine evidence for why plain language matters. (State and federal plain language directives, readability, accessibility, etc.) Identify common barriers to understanding, such as industry jargon and academic phrasing that may alienate or confuse your audience. Practice rewriting real examples from your organization’s materials to make them more conversational, welcoming, and impactful.

What It Covers Common signs and symptoms of mental health challenges. Common signs and symptoms of substance use challenges. How to interact with a person in crisis. How to connect a person with help. Expanded content on trauma, substance use and self-care.