This webinar will be held May 23, 2024 from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m.

Citizen incivility, when citizens behave abusively towards local government employees, is pervasive across local governments in North Carolina and across the U.S. In School of Government survey data, 57 percent of local government employees indicate being yelled at least every few months. Citizen incivility also correlates strongly with burnout, quit intentions, and low organizational commitment. Given the effects on local government employees, this webinar will provide managerial and legal strategies for addressing citizen incivility. The managerial strategies covered will include debriefing spaces, supervisory support, and mission focus. The webinar will also explore how local governments must balance citizens’ First Amendment rights when dealing with threats or harassment via email, social media, or in-person, as well as examining potential criminal and civil legal remedies for certain types of abusive or harassing conduct. Local government management professionals will come away with managerial tools for helping employees cope with citizen incivility and a better understanding of the legal issues surrounding their responses to citizen incivility.