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Government Workers Say Their Out-of-Office Replies Were Forcibly Changed to Blame Democrats for Shutdown (www.wired.com)

submitted 1 day ago by Infrapink@thebrainbin.org to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world

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Some employees at the Department of Education changed their responses back to the more neutral language, only to have it changed yet again to the partisan response, multiple sources tell WIRED.

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[–] obinice@lemmy.world 31 points 1 day ago (2 children)

Can they not make a legal claim given that their employer is putting words into their mouth in communications with the public, especially given that it's highly politically charged wording that would damage their reputation, plus in a normal country saying such things at work like that would get you sacked.

I don't know the legalities, but if my employer made it seem like I'd said something like that I'd demand an immediate apology, a reprimand for whomever did it, and a public redaction and apology sent to everybody that had received the fraudulent message.

That seems reasonable and fair.

[–] saltesc@lemmy.world 4 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

I know in my country, such a thing is illegal af and there'd be very damaging outcry from the public if a gov tried it. But this country and the ones I've lived in, the governments seem to understand they're in service of the public. This is one of the reasons why governments came to exist and why they are still relevent, after all.

[–] ITGuyLevi@programming.dev 1 points 14 hours ago

First I'm 100% with you, Azure audits who set those messages and they do need to be reported.

Conspiracy time: Every furloughed employee with that message set could be considered in violation of the Hatch Act and that carries with it a possible penalty of removal from federal employment, debarment from federal employment for up to 5 years, and possibly up to a $1,000 civil penalty. I'm really hoping the plan isn't to start firing these workers from agencies the current administration doesn't like to begin with.