Do employees need to be given time off to vote?

This will depend on whether your state provides protected voting leave. Over half require some time off for voting, and a good number of those states require the time to be paid.

The details vary from state to state, but two hours is the most common allowance, and often the employer can require employees to take it at the beginning or end of their workday. The amount of time employees are allowed usually depends on how much time they have before or after their shift while the polls are open.

You can check whether your state requires voting leave and whether it needs to be paid using this chart. 

Even if your state doesn’t have a voting leave law, consider providing employees with time off to vote in support of the democratic process.

This Q&A does not constitute legal advice and does not address state or local law.