Election Day is almost here, so now is a good time to brush up on voting leave laws and make sure you’re posting any mandatory notices.
Voting Leave
Most states have laws that require employers to provide time off to vote. The amount of time off varies by state, and in some states, it must be paid. Often these laws call for very little advance notice from employees, so employers should be prepared to grant time off with minimal notice.
If you’re in a state with early voting, you may want to encourage employees to take advantage of that option—by offering the same time-off benefit—to reduce the number of absences on Election Day. However, depending on state law, the availability of early voting and absentee ballots might not change an employee’s right to vote on Election Day if that’s their preference.
Some states (e.g., California, DC, and New York) also require that employers post a notice about employees’ voting rights in a conspicuous location in the workplace in the months or days leading up to elections.
For More Information
We encourage you to check out the State Voting Leave Chart and visit the Voting Leave laws pages (search “[State] Voting Leave”) on the platform for additional information. We also have a guide called Managing Political Conversations and Supporting Employee Voting Rights to help you navigate the common workplace challenges that can arise during voting season.
Original content by the Mineral Platform. This information is provided with the understanding that Payroll Partners is not rendering legal, human resources, or other professional advice or service. Professional advice on specific issues should be sought from a lawyer, HR consultant or other professional.
