By Rachel M. Donnelly, Plains State News Service, Oklahoma City, Okla.

OKLAHOMA CITY — Several employers in Oklahoma have begun offering what they describe as “keep quiet bonuses” to workers who agree to limit their off-hours social media activity, a practice that labor advocates say raises concerns about free expression and workplace pressure.

Under the programs, employees receive modest financial incentives, typically ranging from $15 to $25 per pay period, if they voluntarily agree to avoid posting public criticism of their employer or engaging in political commentary online. Companies say the agreements are intended to reduce reputational risk and maintain what they call brand stability.

“This is about professionalism, not policing beliefs,” said Mark Ellison, a human resources director for a mid-sized logistics firm in central Oklahoma that recently introduced the policy. “We’re asking for discretion in public forums. Participation is optional.”

Employees who opt in are asked to sign an acknowledgment outlining the expectations, which apply only to public-facing social media accounts.

Still, some workers say the line between voluntary participation and financial pressure is unclear.

“When your rent keeps going up, that bonus matters,” said one warehouse employee who agreed to the policy and spoke on condition of anonymity out of concern for workplace retaliation. “They say it’s optional, but it doesn’t feel that way.”

The practice appears to be spreading quietly across sectors including retail, logistics, and call centers, according to labor attorneys and employment consultants. In most cases, the bonuses are framed as incentives for “brand alignment” or “online discretion.”

Legal experts say the programs exist in a gray area.

“Employers generally cannot prohibit lawful off-duty speech,” said Allison Grant, an employment law professor at the University of Oklahoma. “But offering a financial incentive tied to behavior can complicate things. Courts tend to look at whether the policy is coercive.”

Grant noted that Oklahoma is an at-will employment state, which gives employers broad authority but does not eliminate protections for certain types of speech.

Some employees say the policies have had a chilling effect.

“I stopped posting anything that could be taken the wrong way,” said a warehouse worker in Tulsa who declined the bonus but said coworkers felt pressured to accept it. “When you work for one of the biggest online retailers in the country and everything is tracked by systems and scanners, you start assuming someone is always watching. It’s not just about work. It’s politics, news, everything.”

Employers involved in the programs say they are responding to recent incidents in which employee posts drew public attention and customer complaints.

“One viral post can undo years of trust,” Ellison said. “We’re just trying to be proactive.”

Labor advocacy groups argue the trend reflects a broader shift in workplace power dynamics, where economic insecurity makes workers more willing to trade personal freedoms for stability.

“This isn’t censorship by force,” said Maria Lopez, a regional organizer with a workers’ rights coalition. “It’s censorship by paycheck. And a lot of workers don’t seem to notice or push back as long as the pay keeps coming and they can afford the next phone, the next game, the next upgrade.”

State labor officials said they are aware of the practice but have not received formal complaints. A spokesperson for the Oklahoma Department of Labor said the agency is monitoring developments and reviewing whether additional guidance is needed.

As the programs expand, some workers say they are left weighing financial relief against personal expression.

“You start asking yourself what’s worth more,” the warehouse employee said. “The bonus, or saying what you think.”