AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 19 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO EMPLOYER-SPONSORED MEETINGS OR COMMUNICATIONS.

Workers can refuse political or religious meetings

Delaware employers cannot fire, punish, or threaten workers for refusing meetings or messages that share the employer’s political or religious views. This covers refusing to attend, participate, receive, or listen. Political matters include parties, elections, laws, public policy, and joining or supporting organizations, including unions. Religious matters include beliefs, practices, and joining or supporting religious groups. If you are working and skip a covered meeting, your employer must keep paying you during it. Exceptions cover legally required information, information needed for job duties, and training required to meet legal duties. Colleges can conduct coursework, symposia, and academic programs. Public employers can discuss their policies and laws or rules they administer. Tax-exempt charities can discuss nonpartisan policy tied to their mission or people served, but this exception excludes employer views on union membership or formation. Religious entities exempt from federal employment discrimination law can give religious messages to employees doing work connected with their activities. Political groups can require meetings or messages about their political principles or purposes. Schools can require regular-coursework lectures, and nonprofit tax-exempt training programs can require mission-related political or religious instruction. Delaware’s Department of Labor enforces the law through investigations, workplace and record inspections, subpoenas, rules, and civil lawsuits. The Department must update the required workplace notice within 90 days of the law’s effective date.