Kneel and You're Fired: Freedom of Speech in the Workplace

The divisiveness of race relations, using sports as a political platform and President Trump himself aside; does the National Football League have the right to terminate their employee for kneeling during the National Anthem? Does an NFL employee have a protected right to “Freedom of Speech” without putting their employment at risk? This paper will examine the legal rights of employers to terminate employees for engaging in workplace speech. Part One of the paper will examine job security and an analysis of employment as a protected property interest. Part Two will analyze freedom of speech in the workplace. Part Three will provide a legal analysis of the NFL players protest. Part Four will conclude, suggest solutions and possibly solve other impossible world problems.