Monica Smith co-authored a feature article for HR.com’s HR Legal & Compliance Excellence with Leah Stiegler, a principal and management-side employment lawyer at Woods Rogers in Virginia. Together, Leah and Monica examine how organizations should respond when employee speech becomes public.
In “When Employee Speech Goes Public,” the authors explore the increasingly blurred line between legal risk and reputational risk, offering practical guidance for HR leaders navigating politically charged, emotionally driven, or viral employee speech issues. The article breaks down what the law permits in private workplaces, why silence and tone matter as much as speed, and how HR, legal, and communications teams can align quickly to protect credibility, culture, and trust.
