California Protected Time Off for Voting: Your Rights as an Employee
Currently, working in California? After work, do you find it hard to find the time to vote in the statewide election? If so, then you do not have to worry anymore. The voting leave law in California provides time off from jobs to employees so that they can vote in the statewide election in California. Read out to know the details of this paid voting leave of California.
How does California’s voting leave law work?
- The employees will only get this voting leave for a statewide election or a primary election happening statewide. The time off will not be given in case of local or municipal candidate elections.
- Another condition of getting paid voting leave is associated with the situation when the employee does not have time to vote outside of working hours. Without meeting this condition, the employees can not ask for voting leave in California.
- An employee can take the voting time off when he does not get enough time to vote during non-work hours because he is working a very long shift on election day.
- If the employee lives at a distant place from work and can not get time to vote in the election at the proper polling place in time, he will be eligible for voting leave.
- If the employee has to work out of town on election day and can not attend the election, he can ask for leave.
- If you want to take the voting leave, you will have to take the leave at the beginning or end of your regular working shift. You should make proper arrangements with your employer about the schedule.
How does the voting leave law affect employers?
- The employers are entitled to release a notice for the employees informing them about their right to take paid leave to vote in statewide elections.
- More importantly, the notice should be posted at least 10 days before the statewide election.
- The employer should post the notice in a place where all the employees can see it.
- The notice should be written evidently without any confusion.
- The employers should mail a copy of this notice to the remote employees to make sure that they get to know about their deserved rights.
- The employees can take as much time off as they need but the employers are entitled to give payment for only 2 hours of leave.
Final Words
The voting leave law in California preserves state employees when they need time off from work for attending statewide elections. This law is a significant addition to the state laws. It preserves both the employee rights and fundamental rights voting of California employees. If you are in any of the above-mentioned situations, you should ask for paid voting leave from your employers. Your employer is bound to grant your voting leave. In case, your employer refuses your leave, you can seek legal remedies from law enforcement agencies for this case.
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