Do your employees have the right to take paid time off for the election next Tuesday?
Yes, they do! (Under certain conditions.)
Utah law requires employers to grant employees up to two hours of paid time off to vote during polling hours. However, employers need not fear a haphazard mass exodus from the workplace. The law specifies that employees need to request the leave in advance. In addition, employers can designate specific times for the leave, though they must accommodate requests for time off at the beginning or end of a shift.
Is there a legal workaround to the paid voting leave requirement? Yes. If an employee has three or more hours during polling time in which they are not scheduled to work, the employer is not required to offer paid voting leave.
We encourage employers to take Utah's voting leave law seriously, because a violation can result in a class B misdemeanor. We also encourage everyone-employers and employees alike-to exercise their privilege to vote!
