Does discipline imposed on a public employee infringe free speech?

The discipline imposed on a public employee may not infringe constitutionally protected free speech. (Rankin v. McPherson (1987) 483 U.S. 378, 383, 107 S.Ct. 2891, 2896, 97 L.Ed.2d 315, 324.) This does not mean public employees have an unlimited

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At the threshold, the inquiry is whether the speech which invites the discipline may fairly be characterized as involving a matter of public concern. (Connick v. Myers, supra, 461 U.S. at p. 146, 103 S.Ct. at p. 1689, 75 L.Ed.2d at p. 719.) This must be determined "by the content, form, and context of a given statement, as revealed by the whole record." (Id. at pp. 147-148, 103 S.Ct. at p. 1690, 75 L.Ed.2d at p. 720.)