Voting Leave

Who needs policies relating to Voting Leave?

If your organization operates in a state with voting leave laws, you need a policy. The majority of states require employers to provide time off for voting, and in many of those states, the leave must be paid. The rules vary widely. Some require only a couple of hours, others allow "sufficient time," and a few don't mandate leave at all.

Multi-state employers should take special care, since juggling different state rules can get messy quickly. Even if your state does not require voting leave, offering it voluntarily is a powerful way to show you value civic engagement and employee autonomy.

In short, if you employ people in voting jurisdictions (which is basically everywhere), you should have a policy. It keeps you compliant where necessary and makes it clear that civic participation matters in your workplace.

The exhaustive history behind Voting Leave

Coming soon!

Jurisdictions with laws on Voting Leave

Voting leave laws are designed to make sure that work schedules do not prevent employees from casting their ballots. The goal is simple: protect the right to vote by giving people time off, often paid, to get to the polls.

While federal law encourages voting access, it is state laws that dictate whether employers must provide time off, how much time is allowed, and whether it is paid or unpaid. Most states have some form of voting leave requirement, but the details vary. For example, some states guarantee two or three hours off, others require "sufficient time," and a few leave it entirely up to the employer. Cities and counties occasionally add their own twists as well.

Because laws protecting time off to vote are anything but one-size-fits-all, most organizations craft one generous voting leave policy to cover all state requirements.