Are You Required to Let Your Employees Vote?

While there are no federal laws requiring companies to give time off from work to vote, a majority of states do have rules designed to ensure employees can make it to the polls on Election Day.

Laws vary by state, but if polls are not open two or three hours outside employees' regular shifts, employers are generally required to provide them with reasonable time off to vote. Lunch and other rest periods may not be included as part of the time off for voting.

Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Small Business Center.

The state laws are designed to ensure employees are not disciplined or retaliated against for taking time off to vote. Many states also require that companies pay employees for time they are absent while voting.

Most states allow employers to specify the time of day employees may take off to vote. Generally, employers may require employees to request time off in advance of Election Day.

The National Federation of Independent Businesses, a Washington-based small-business lobby, has compiled a list of voting laws by state, which is summarized below:

Alabama

If the polls open at least two hours before the employee starts work or close at least one hour after the employee ends work, the employer is not required to offer time off. Otherwise, employees are allowed time off not to exceed one hour.
Statute does not indicate whether time off is paid or unpaid.

Alaska
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed sufficient time off to vote.
Paid

Arizona
If polls are not open three consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed three hours to vote.
Paid

Arkansas
Employers must schedule sufficient time on election days so that employees may vote.
Statute does not indicate whether time off is paid or unpaid.

California
Employees are allowed two hours at the beginning or end of the regular working shift to vote.
Paid

Colorado
If polls are not open three consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed two hours to vote.
Paid

Connecticut
None

Delaware
None

Florida
None

Georgia
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed two hours to vote.
Statute does not indicate whether time off is paid or unpaid.

Hawaii
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed two hours to vote.
Paid, with proof that a vote is cast

Idaho
None

Illinois
Employees are allowed two hours to vote.
Unpaid

Indiana
None

Iowa
If polls are not open three consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed three hours to vote.
Paid

Kansas
Employees are allowed up to two hours to vote.
Paid

Kentucky
Employees are allowed up to four hours to vote.
Unpaid

Louisiana
None

Maine
None

Maryland
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed up to two hours to vote.
Paid with proof of voting

Massachusetts
Voters employed in mechanical, manufacturing or mercantile businesses allowed time off during the first two hours after the polls have opened only if an application for absence has been submitted.
Statute does not indicate whether time off is paid or unpaid.

Michigan
None

Minnesota
Employees allowed time off during the mornings of election days.
Paid

Mississippi
None

Missouri
If polls are not open three consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed up to three hours to vote if a request for time is made prior to Election Day. The employer may specify the time of day the employees may take time off to vote.
Paid

Montana
None

Nebraska
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed up to two hours to vote if a request for time is made prior to Election Day. The employer may specify the time of day employees may take time off to vote.
Paid

Nevada
If polls are not open a "sufficient" amount of time outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed one to three hours to vote if a request for time is made prior to Election Day. "Sufficient" time depends on the distance between work and the polling site. The employer may specify the time of day employees may take time off to vote.
Paid

New Hampshire
None

New Jersey
None

New Mexico
If the polls open at least two hours before the employee starts work or close at least three hours after the employee ends work, the employer is not required to offer time off. Otherwise, employees are allowed up to two hours. The employer may specify the time of day employees may take time off to vote, but it may not include lunch or rest hours.
Paid

New York
If polls are not open four consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed "sufficient time" to vote if a request for time is made prior to Election Day. The employer may specify whether employees must take the time at the beginning or the end of the shift. Employers must post a conspicuous notice of employee rights at least ten days before Election Day.
Paid up to two hours

North Carolina
None

North Dakota
The law encourages employers to provide time off to vote when an employee's regular work schedule conflicts with the times polls are open.
Policy is voluntary and does not indicate whether time off is paid or unpaid.

Ohio
The law forbids employers from firing an employee who takes a reasonable amount of time to vote.
Paid for salaried employees

Oklahoma
Every employer must allow its registered voters up to tow hours off to vote on Election Day, during the time when the polls are open.
Paid

Oregon
None

Pennsylvania
None

Rhode Island
None

South Carolina
None

South Dakota
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed to take time off to vote.
Paid

Tennessee
If polls are not open three consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed time to vote not to exceed three hours if a request for time is made before noon the day before Election Day. The employer may specify when during the shift the employee may take time off to vote.
Paid

Texas
If polls are not open two consecutive hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed reasonable time to vote.
Paid

Utah
If polls are not open three hours outside the employee's regular shift, the employee is allowed up to two hours to vote. The employer may specify when during the shift the employee may take time off to vote.

Vermont
None

Virginia
None

Washington
If polls are not open two hours outside the employee's regular shift (not including meal or rest breaks), the employer must arrange employee work time on Election Day so the employee is allowed reasonable time to vote.
Paid

Washington, D.C.
None

West Virginia
Employees are allowed no more than three hours to vote if a written request for time off is made at least three days prior to Election Day.
Paid

Wisconsin
Employees are allowed no more than three hours to vote if the request for time off is made prior to Election Day. The employer may specify when during the shift the employee may take time off to vote.
Unpaid

Wyoming
Employees may take one hour to vote.
Paid

Click here to visit FOXBusiness.com's Small Business Center.