Voting Leave Laws by State

Author: Brightmine Editorial Team

When Election Day nears, employers should be prepared to respond to an employee's request for time off to vote. While there is no federal law mandating voting leave, most states require employers to provide their employees with time off from work to vote in an election. The following chart summarizes each state's requirements on:

• Employee eligibility;
• Employee and employer notice or documentation;
• Compensation of leave time;
• Duration of leave; and
• Time off for election officials.

Many states will impose a criminal penalty on an employer that fires or engages in an unfavorable employment action because an employee takes time off or requests time off to vote. No matter what state an employer operates in, the employer should not discipline an employee because the employee exercised his or her right to vote.

Employers should familiarize themselves with the applicable leave laws in the states in which they operate. This will help an employer manage time off requests and juggle work schedules. Employers should immediately put a plan or a voting leave policy in place to comply with their particular legal requirements, which may include notifying employees of their voting leave rights prior to the election.

States that have no requirements regarding voting leave are marked N/A.