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Some of the controversy is already over, due to a later memo. I don’t think that the current policy is too broad, but I can see how both the average person and legal professionals had a problem with the wording in the email.The facts:The story starts with memos issued by the Office of Special Counsel - not the same as the Department of Justice Office of Special Counsel (Robert Mueller) - back in March, 2018 regarding the coming presidential election, with special focus on partisan campaigning for or against President Trump. I haven’t seen any criticism of the March memos (which were actually dated February, 2018), though they must surely exist.The OSC later issued a memo by email to some federal employees on November 28th (dated November 27th), which prompted Charlie Savage to write a N.Y. Times article dated November 29, 2018.Federal Employees Are Warned Not to Discuss Trump ‘Resistance’ at WorkThis prompted the OSC to published a memo clarifying their stance on November 30, 2018. That clarification, plus a PDF copy of the November 27th email memo are online for all to see:https://osc.gov/Resources/OSC%20November%2027%202018%20Guidance%20Extension%20and%20Clarification.pdfThe earlier postings back in March, both of which were dated February, 2018, were a Hatch Act Social Media Quick Guide and Hatch Act Guidance on Social Media:The Hatch Act Social Media Quick Guide:https://osc.gov/Resources/Social%20Media%20Quick%20Guide%20FINAL%20r.pdfThe Quick Guide has a chart listing social activities, when they are prohibited, and when they are allowed. I found nothing new or surprising there.The Hatch Act Guidance on Social Media:https://osc.gov/Resources/HA%20Social%20Media%20FINAL%20r.pdfFootnote 1 says:“This Hatch Act Guidance supersedes OSC’s prior guidance on social media in 2012 and 2015”“In general, all federal employees may use social media and comply with the Hatch Act if they remember the following three prohibitions:(1) On Duty or in the Workplace Prohibition – Employees may not engage in political activity while on duty or in the federal workplace.(2) 24/7 Prohibition – Employees may not knowingly solicit, accept, or receive a political contribution for a political party, candidate in a partisan race, or partisan political group.(3) 24/7 Prohibition – Employees may not use their official authority or influence to affect the outcome of an election. Some employees are considered “further restricted” under the Hatch Act. 2In addition to the three prohibitions above, further restricted employees are subject to a fourth prohibition:(4) 24/7 Prohibition – Further restricted employees may not take an active part in partisan political management or campaigning.”These are (or should be) well known to all federal employees and contractors. Some agencies even test federal workers on this.For those ignorant of federal law, footnote 2 clarifies who are further restricted employees as follows:“You are a further restricted employee under the Hatch Act if you are a career member of the Senior Executive Service, an administrative law judge, a contract appeals board member, an administrative appeals judge, or if you work in one of the following agencies, or agency components:(1) Central Intelligence Agency;(2) Criminal Division of the Department of Justice;(3) Defense Intelligence Agency;(4) Election Assistance Commission;(5) Federal Bureau of Investigation;(6) Federal Election Commission;(7) Merit Systems Protection Board;(8) National Geospatial Intelligence Agency;(9) National Security Agency;(10) National Security Council;(11) National Security Division of the Department of Justice;(12) Office of Criminal Investigation of the Internal Revenue Service;(13) Office of the Director of National Intelligence;(14) Office of Investigative Programs of the United States Customs Service;(15) Office of Law Enforcement of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms;(16) Office of Special Counsel; or(17) Secret Service. See 5 U.S.C. § 7323(b)(2)-(3).”The Hatch Act has nuances of which most people are unaware.Some readers (and federal employees) may be surprised to see the examples cited in those earlier memos:“Example 1: You are at home after work. You may like or tweet a message encouraging others to vote for your favored candidate in a partisan race.Example 2: You are on duty and looking at Facebook on your personal cell phone. You see that a friend posted a message encouraging others to vote for members of a certain political party. You may not like or share that message while you are on duty. “Being on federal premises or in uniform or wearing agency insignia changes things. The rest of the February/March memo is there for all to see. It’s not that new or different from the past.Fast forward to the OSC memo dated November 27, 2018. What’s new is that advocacy for or against impeachment and specific slogans of one faction are cited. These are what prompted Charlie Savage’s article, I think. The first scenario:“Is advocating for or against impeachment of a candidate for federal office considered political activity? Yes. Impeachment is the process by which certain federal officials, including the president and the vice president, may be removed from office and disqualified from holding any future ‘Office of honor, Trust or Profit under the United States…Assuming that disqualification from holding federal office would bar an individual from serving as president, any advocacy for or against an effort to impeach a candidate is squarely within the definition of political activity for purposes of the Hatch Act. ’”The key word, of course, is “advocating” - just what constitutes that? The Hatch Act, or I should say 5 U.S.C. § 7323, does not specifically qualify that word. The OSC has issued guidance, which has the effect of law until properly legally challenged, I believe. Their guidance has said in the past that a federal worker cannot wear buttons with slogans, or put up posters or stickers advocating for or against a candidate at the workplace.The second scenario:“Now that President Trump is a candidate for reelection, we must presume that the use or display of ‘resistance,’ ‘#resist,’ ‘#resistTrump,’ and similar statements is political activity unless the facts and circumstances indicate otherwise. “Now it’s not just “advocating”, but mere “use” that constitutes a Hatch Act Violation. This really got people upset, and rightfully so, I think. What does it mean to “use a statement”? They don’t use the word “discuss”. If I speak a statement, am I using it? What if I chant it?Some took additional umbrage at the fact that only one faction was called out.Moreover, the November 27 memo cites an example:“Consider, for example, the administration’s recent decision to move the U.S. embassy in Israel to Jerusalem. An employee who strongly criticizes or praises that decision during a workplace discussion with a colleague in the days immediately following the decision is less likely to be engaging in political activity than one making those same statements in the run-up to the next presidential election—when the decision will likely have been out of the news for several years—to a colleague that the employee knows has strong feelings about the subject. “It’s here that OSC uses the word “discussion”. That seems to be overreaching to me. That said, I don’t think it’s ever good to talk too much politics at work - federal or not. But we’re talking about people possibly losing jobs here.The November 30 memo tries to walk back and clarify the mess they created, and address accusations of shadow government or puppet masters by being more bipartisan:“So, while on duty or in a federal workplace, employees are prohibited from wearing, displaying, or distributing items from President Trump’s 2016 or 2020 campaigns, like ‘Make America Great Again,’ ‘#MAGA,’ or, in the alternative, items directed at the failure of President Trump’s reelection campaign, such as those containing the slogan ‘#ResistTrump.’ This prohibition extends to activity on social media or in other forums. Over the past several months, federal employees have repeatedly asked whether use or display of ‘#resist’ or ‘the Resistance,’ or advocating or opposing impeachment of the president, while on duty or in the workplace, is prohibited political activity for Hatch Act purposes. Having answered this question numerous times, OSC decided to distribute the November 27 email. “Note that OSC clearly states that the issue was brought up by federal employees. themselves. Also note that they return to previous guidance that has to do with slogans, and not incidental use of terms that have many connotations.The November 30 memo cites the discussion scenario raised by Charlie Savage:“Regarding impeachment, OSC’s guidance was not intended to prevent all discussions of impeachment in the federal workplace. OSC has been asked whether an employee may display items that advocate for the impeachment of the president, who is a candidate for reelection. OSC has advised against this activity because OSC considers advocacy for or against the impeachment of a candidate for federal office to be political activity under the Hatch Act. However, merely discussing impeachment, without advocating for or against its use against such a candidate, is not political activity. For example, two employees may discuss whether reported conduct by the president warrants impeachment and express an opinion about whether the president should be impeached without engaging in political activity. An employee may not, however, display in his or her office a poster that states “#Impeach45” or place a “Don’t Impeach Trump” bumper sticker on a government-owned vehicle because such conduct advocates for or against impeachment of a candidate for federal office.”The new memo is clearly focused on displaying partisan memes that are used as part of campaigns by partisan advocates, not on mere discussion.I don’t construe the OSC’s current position as of November 30 as being too broad.You can read the Hatch Act, or I should say the current code, because it has changed over time:5 U.S. Code § 7323 - Political activity authorized; prohibitionsNote that final arbiter of the intent and meaning of the above code is the Judicial Branch, and not your favorite politician, legal pundit, or bartender, unless, of course they are a member of the Judicial Branch. The OSC is the initial arbiter.Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. This is not legal advice. Consult a licensed , practicing attorney before taking actions referred to in the above discussion. I have been a federal contractor, and have worked with, have known, and have loved people who support many sides and corners of the aisle, plus a few on the ceiling, floor, and in the parking lot, figuratively speaking.

Today’s workplace is not like that of our mothers and fathers. Our parents would pick a single career, like an accountant, lawyer, or teacher, and continue with that role and position for the rest of their life. However, in the last 10-15 years the landscape of employment has changed drastically. Trends in technology have eroded many of what used to be considered reliable and durable career paths, and two boom and bust economic cycles have made hundreds of thousands of people redundant and forced them to seek new careers.However, that does not mean the jobs have disappeared — they have simply shifted to other sectors. The truth is there are millions of job vacancies that are available right now if you have the right skill sets. And with advances in modern technology, these skills are all accessible through online courses from the confines of your own home. So consider these following 5 options to add some more durability to your resume.Your future career may be on your desktop.Math, Statistics and Data AnalysisBig data is now the next frontier for business innovation. With advances in technology the amount of data available is growing exponentially and it’s sweeping into most sectors and businesses. Thus, companies and individuals that are able to harness, organize, and analyze these mega-sets of data stand to benefit greatly. Consequently, a strong foundation in arithmetic, geometry, algebra, statistics, and calculus is extremely valuable. Those who feel like they missed this boat need not worry because websites like Khan Academy do a great job providing quality instruction for free.Cloud ComputingOne of the major changes in technology is the move from local hosting to cloud-hosted services. Maybe you have heard some of the major buzzwords, virtualization, software as a service (SaaS), and platform as a service (PaaS). Essentially what they all mean is that all those space-, labor-, and money-consuming local servers that contain tons of data — and which if broken could take down a company — are all moving to the cloud where storage is safer and cheaper.One of the most popular cloud based services is Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software. To help support this trend, there is a huge demand for people with cloud computing and SaaS knowledge. If this piques your interest, Free Online Courses & Online Learning from ALISON offers a free introductory course to cloud computing.LogisticsIn a tough economy, logistics, also known as the science of supply chain management, is a crucial tool for product-based companies. It is the responsibility of the supply chain manager to minimize the cost of sourcing raw materials, production and distribution of consumer products. Essentially, the supply chain manager is a combination of a bargain hunter and cost cutter, looking to source materials from countries with lower manufacturing costs, and trying to find the cheapest way to get the raw materials to the factory and finished goods to the consumer. With the emergence of e-commerce players like Zappos and Amazon, logistics have never been more important, thus those with knowledge of logistics are in high demand. If that sounds interesting then you can you can enroll in free college-level logistics courses from MIT’s Engineering department via its OpenCourseWare platform.Digital MarketingJust about every major business area has undergone massive changes in the last ten years and marketing is no different. If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, print is dying and online marketing is the future. So, more than ever, businesses need people who understand the landscape of online marketing, which covers Search Engine Optimization (SEO), content marketing, and social media.In simple layman’s terms: SEO helps businesses get found online; content marketing is all about creating valuable content that people want to share; and social media is a platform to share valuable content and engage with consumers. It’s pretty tough to be a whiz in all of these areas, but if you pick one area and become a champ in it, you will definitely be a valuable asset. Hubspot Academy is a great place to start for an excellent primer in online marketing. At the completion of the course series, you are also eligible to receive a certification in Inbound Marketing, all for free!Programming LanguagesThis may be a no-brainer, but we would be remiss not to mention it. Computers are getting faster and smaller, and more and more applications are coming out that make our lives easier. People want more apps for their personal computers and smartphones, so it’s no surprise that demand for programmers is sky-high. It used to be that programming was for geeks and losers, but now programming is cool, and programmers are the new rock stars. There are a ton of languages to choose from — Objective C, Python, PHP, Ruby, HTML, Java — and specializing in just one is probably enough to get you in the door to an entry-level job. But wait, you have no experience? You can get started with free interactive tutorials at Codeacademy.The World Is Your OysterYes folks, the world of employment is changing, but that does not have to be a scary thing. Embrace those changes and move with the times. The sands of the employment landscape are moving quickly and you don’t want to get stuck under a mountain. Prepare yourself for the new workforce by learning skills that are in demand now. The truth is that these are just the tip of the iceberg, with a little research you can probably uncover some other in-demand skill sets that can help you land your next job. The best part is there are free resources available to help you master any skill. So what are you waiting for? Pick your passion, get skilled up, and get employed!

What you might consider the best will depend on what your goals are.Here are my thoughts on each.Udemy offers by far the largest selection of subjects. They’re best for their variety. They even pride themselves on helping you “Find a course on virtually anything”.How do they do this? Udemy is as much a platform for students as it is for their instructors. If you’re knowledgeable about a topic, you can even sign up to set up your own courses!That means Udemy is a trove of knowledge in many subjects that other platforms might lack. Of course, having independent creators produce content leads to greater variance in quality.I’ve personally had good luck finding great courses, but I’d recommend shopping around if you go with Udemy, just to be sure you’re finding the best course for you.Treehouse focuses on programming, software development, and web design. I’ve spent a good 80+ hours now on their courses.I think the best things they have going for them are consistency and their community.It’s great to be able to jump from a lesson about Python to one about JavaScript and know that the presentation format, quality, quizzes, and workspaces are all identical. That means I’m spending less time getting familiar with how an instructor runs a course and more time focusing on the content.Likewise with their community—it’s great to know that people are constantly posting in the forums. If you’re puzzled by a concept, you need only create a discussion post and someone will get to it within a day.Lynda is wonderful for when you want to learn a skill and its associated tools. These are skills and tools that you can apply directly to your creative and/or professional work. What do I mean by this?Let’s say you run a small marketing studio and you’re fantastic at graphic design and you’re really good at Illustrator. Now you want to bring some of your photography work in-house. Well, Lynda has probably 100+ how-to courses on photography as well as in-depth tutorials on tools like Photoshop.(The same works the other way around if you want to learn graphic design.)They also have fantastic professional development courses that cover anything from business skills (from the mundane, like writing better memos, to honing your leadership skills and addressing workplace conflicts) to nailing down business software (e.g. Excel, PowerPoint, Word, QuickBooks training).Bottom Line: All three platforms have their strengths. The best one depends on what you’re going for.Plug: Use OpenCourser to find online courses from Lynda, Treehouse, and many other platforms. Our search will help you sift through over 6,000 courses to find the right one for you.