Tennessee § 7-51-1501 - Rights guaranteed to local government employees.

§ 7-51-1501. Rights guaranteed to local government employees.

Notwithstanding any county, municipal, metropolitan, or other local governmental charter to the contrary, and notwithstanding any resolution or ordinance adopted by any such county, municipality or other local governmental unit to the contrary, every employee of every such local governmental unit shall enjoy the same rights of other citizens of Tennessee to be a candidate for any state or local political office, the right to participate in political activities by supporting or opposing political parties, political candidates, and petitions to governmental entities; provided, further, the city, county, municipal, metropolitan or other local government is not required to pay the employee's salary for work not performed for the governmental entity; and provided, further, that unless otherwise authorized by law or local ordinance, an employee of a municipal government or of a metropolitan government shall not be qualified to run for elected office in the local governing body of such local governmental unit in which the employee is employed. Acts 1996, ch. 678, § 1. Attorney General Opinions. Employee of city electric system may not run for city council, OAG 96-106, 1996 Tenn. AG LEXIS 116 (8/20/96). City employee may not run for office of alderman, OAG 96-122, 1996 Tenn. AG LEXIS 147 (9/19/96). Utility board employee serving as mayor or city council member, OAG 98-0130, 1998 Tenn. AG LEXIS 129 (7/27/98). Payment for simultaneous employment as alderman and full-time town employee, OAG 98-0134, 1998 Tenn. AG LEXIS 134 (8/6/98). Political campaigning by sheriffs’ employees, OAG 06-093 (5/17/06), 2006 Tenn. AG LEXIS 102. City or county mayor running for state legislature. OAG 10-37, 2010 Tenn. AG LEXIS 37 (3/24/10). Local employee running for elective office. OAG 10-94, 2010 Tenn. AG LEXIS 100 (8/27/10). Teacher elected to serve on local school board by which teacher is employed may not retain employment as a teacher. OAG 14-53, 2014 Tenn. AG Lexis 55 (5/1/14).