In partisan times, enforce your policies neutrally.

Black Lives Matter T-shirts in client Zoom meetings... MAGA hats on the warehouse floor... With a polarizing election looming, some of your employees will want to share their opinions in any way possible.

One flash point to beware: your company dress code and how it bumps up against laws relating to freedom of expression, retaliation and more.

Some employees erroneously believe they have a First Amendment right to say (or wear) any political messages at work. But the Constitution only prohibits the government from restricting free speech, not private employers.

But that doesn't mean you should (or can) put a gag order on any type of employee political discourse. Instead, it's wise to draft a policy that minimizes distractions and maintains order but allows some free speech.

Recent case 1: Whole Foods' policy prohibits employees from wearing anything bearing slogans or messages that aren't company related. When employees started wearing face masks, some managers allowed mask messages with everything from pro-gay rights to cartoon characters...