Fact Check

Flag Ban

Did a U.S. company ban employees from displaying the American flag?

Published Sept. 20, 2001

Claim:

Claim:   A U.S. company banned its employees from displaying American flags.


Status:   True.

Origins:   On

US flag

Friday, September 14, three days after the terrorist attacks on the United States and a day designated as a national day of remembrance for victims of the attacks, the management of National Council of Compensation Insurance (a company which compiles workers compensation insurance data) banned employees from displaying American flags at their desks. A memo sent to 850 employees by Chief executive Bill Schrempf read, in part:



Divisive statements or actions, political or religious discussions and anything else that could be divisive or mean different things to different people are not appropriate in our work environment.

Ten flags were reportedly removed from employee cubicles that Friday, after which a combination of employee complaints, unfavorable publicity, and a request from Florida governor Jeb Bush prompted company management to change their minds over the weekend. The following Monday, Schrempf met with employees to explain the policy change and apologize for not allowing them to display flags in their work spaces, and to hand out flags and red-white-and-blue lapel pins. The (misdated) NCCI press release linked below explains their change in policy.

Additional Information:
        NCCI Changes Position, Gives Employees American Flags   NCCI Changes Position, Gives Employees American Flags

Last updated:   8 March 2008





  Sources Sources:

    Riddle, Amanda.   "Florida Company Apologizes, Lifts American Flag Ban."

    Associated Press.   17 September 2001.


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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