Hatch Act Overview

Introduced in 1939, the Hatch Act is a federal law designed to protect all federal employees from political coercion. This course provides a high-level overview of the essential provisions of the Hatch Act, including its purpose and key definitions. It describes the political activities that federal employees are prohibited from engaging in, as well as those they can participate in. These course materials and content are for informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Nothing herein, or in the course materials, shall be construed as professional advice as to any particular situation or constitute a legal opinion with respect to compliance with any federal, state, or local laws. Transmission of the information is not intended to create, and receipt does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship. Readers should not act upon this information without seeking professional counsel. The information contained herein is provided only as general information that may or may not reflect the most current legal developments. This information is not provided in the course of an attorney-client relationship and is not intended to constitute legal advice or to substitute for obtaining legal advice from an attorney licensed in your state.