An east Texas state lawmaker has filed a bill that would add 'political beliefs' to the list of categories that people cannot be fired, demoted or denied a job for, adding it to things like race, sex, and disability, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
State Rep. James White (R-Woodville) says the bill, which is titled "An act based on the prohibition of employment discrimination based on political beliefs," is largely aimed at protecting employers from the on line fury directed at a person who has posted a political opinion that a group doesn't like.
He says it is disturbingly common for the Internet to demand a person be fired for expressing a political belief they don't like. There have even been calls on line for others to 'take down' a person by peppering the employer with emails and social media posts demanding their termination.
His bill would prohibit a company from failing to hire or failing to promote an individual based on his or her stated political beliefs, and would grant a course of action for people who feel they have been victims of that discrimination.
White's bill would not prohibit an employer from disciplining an employee for expressing political beliefs while at the workplace, and it only covers political opinions which are expressed while the employee is outside the office.
It also does not demand 'affirmative action' or a 'quota' system which would require an employer to seek out applicants based specifically on their political beliefs, nor does it protect blatantly racist, violent, threatening, criminal, or other non political comments.
READ THE BILL: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlodocs/85R/billtext/html/HB02787I.htm