While no federal law provides employees leave to vote, many states have enacted voter-leave laws. Some states guarantee paid time off, others do not. The time guaranteed for employees to vote varies state-by-state as well.
Some employers, depending on the state, may have to give workers notice about their voting rights and provide paid or unpaid time off to vote. In some states, such as California and New York, employers must post notices in the workplace before Election Day to inform employees of their rights. Employers might have to pay penalties if they don’t comply.
Employers should implement a policy expressing the voting rights available to employees under the applicable laws. If your business is in a state that doesn’t have a voting-leave law, you may still wish to implement a policy outlining your expectations about time off for voting.
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