- Staff members, including those
under federal appointment, are not subject to the Federal Hatch Act.
- As citizens, MSUE academic and
support staff may be candidates for partisan political office.
- Being a partisan candidate may
entail the assumption of political positions that could, potentially,
pose conflicts with an individual’s role in MSUE. MSUE
employees may not permit their personal political affiliations and
involvement to intrude on their exercise of judgment in carrying out
position responsibilities.
- The employee must keep his/her
administrative superiors closely advised regarding any sources of
actual or reasonably anticipated conflicting interests.
The employee is responsible for avoiding conflicts of
interest and failings in this regard that may give rise to prospective
discipline.
- Conflicting interest issues are
also implicated by an MSUE employee using his/her position as a base
for personal political activity. Such is
prohibited. MSUE employees seeking
political office may not use their duty time for these pursuits.
- If
an MSUE employee is elected to political office, the demands,
expectations and prospective conflicting interests may be such that the
employee will have to take personal leave of absence during his/her
term of office.
- An MSUE employee considering
political activity must timely disclose such prospective activity to
his/her County Extension Director or other responsible administrator,
so that there is an opportunity to identify and discuss points of
concern or sensitivity.
- If determined appropriate by
MSUE administration, a letter of agreement is to be fashioned, setting
forth mutual understandings and agreements aimed at assuring against
prospective conflicts.
- If mutual statement is not
possible, the responsible administrator shall notify the individual, in
writing, regarding any specific concerns.
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