Company Pressuring Employees to Donate to United Way

My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: Alabama

My employer wants 100% participation and they have given everyone cards to fill out with the amount the want to donate to United Way. I feel this is a private issue and my company should not know if I donate to the charity of my choice. And if we don't donate our company wants us to turn int he card stating zero donation. I feel this is a way to shame those that do not donate. I refused to turn mine in last year and it got very uncomfortable. Can employers require employees to donate and if not can tey insist a card is turned in stating zero donation?

thanks.

Yes to both.

they cannot force you to donate, but they can pressure you to do so and they could fire you for not donating.

They can fire us for not donating and make us turn in the cards stating zero? That is crazy I work for a government agency if that affects anything. Hard to believe there are no rules from preventing this type of abuse of power.

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Quoting flipper

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They can fire us for not donating and make us turn in the cards stating zero? That is crazy I work for a government agency if that affects anything. Hard to believe there are no rules from preventing this type of abuse of power.

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What did the union rep say when you asked them your question? (Because, depending on the government agency, there may be a union involved.)

If you're a government agency that might change the answer. But for private employers, yes, Lehk, an employer can make donations a condition of employment, and the reason they can is that no law says they can't. They most definitely can make you turn in a card that says zero, and they can fire you for not complying.

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Quoting flipper

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I work for a government agency if that affects anything. Hard to believe there are no rules from preventing this type of abuse of power.

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A government agency probably does have rules limiting the abuse of power.

I had the same BS with my last employer (private company), also for the United Way, and I always ignored the incessant annual requests for donations and was asked to fill out the card saying I wasn't donating. I ignored the card, too. Even had the guy come to my desk one day. I said no. He asked my to fill out the card. I told him I wasn't going to do that either. I think I got taken off the list because I never got any more flak about it.

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Quoting flipper

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I refused to turn mine in last year

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Bravo.

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Quoting cbg

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If you're a government agency that might change the answer. But for private employers, yes, Lehk, an employer can make donations a condition of employment, and the reason they can is that no law says they can't. They most definitely can make you turn in a card that says zero, and they can fire you for not complying.

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I think you misunderstood what I posted, because that is what I said, they can fire OP for not donating.

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Quoting Lehk

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they can fire OP for not donating.

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Sure, they can.

But it's unlikely because they'd have to pay for unemployment compensation and while some employers are stupid enough to do that, most aren't.

Perhaps you should just designate your donation to the charity of your choice. Unless you are uncharitable it simply carries out your philanthropy via a different pathway.

https://www.gtcuw.org/give/designation_policy/