Is an employer bound to provide time for an employee to vote on Election Day?
Full Question:
Answer:
The employee is allowed reasonable time off to vote if the polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee’s regular shift. This time off is paid. (Tex. Elec. Code Ann. Section 276.004). An offense by an employer under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
Most states require employers to provide time for their employees to vote on Election Day. Although these laws vary in each state, they generally require employers to give their employees time off to vote unless the polls are open two or three hours outside the employee’s regular shift. Some states require employers to pay for the time off while some states require employees to request the time off from their employers in advance.