An employee whose scheduled shift does not permit time outside of work to vote in a public election may take up to two paid hours off to do so. The employee must give two days’ advance notice and receive written supervisor approval.

To receive the pay for that time, the employee must also provide a receipt.

Unless employer and employee agree otherwise, voting time off may only be at the start or end of regular working hours, whichever causes the least time away while still allowing ample opportunity to make it to the polls.

Policy Drafting Tip:

• Covered employers should include a policy permitting up to two hours voting leave on two days advance notice, compensable on the employee’s return of a receipt.

Take-Aways:

Implement and regularly review your handbook to include all applicable leave policies, including voting leave, and educate and train your supervisors on these laws.

We publish this series to educate employers on best practices for a well-written handbook that assists applicants, employees, and management alike. To purchase our 2024 template handbook – which contains the above policy and much more – and accompanying forms or for more information, please contact Office Manager Aimee Rosales at 626.583.6600 or officemgr@tbowleslaw.com.

See also:

• Team Building Insurance: Workplace Policy Handbook and Forms for 2024 (May 22, 2024)
• Military Leave Policy: Job Security for Up to Five Years (April 26, 2024)
• Reproductive Loss Leave (November 2, 2023)
• First Responder Job Security: Emergency Service Volunteer Leave Policies (October 23, 2023)

Helena Kobrin
June 7, 2024