If you are a New York Worker, you may be entitled to paid voting leave on November 8. In New York, if you don’t have four consecutive hours while the polls are open, then you are entitled to up to 2 hours of paid leave to go vote.
Polls are open from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm. Here’s how it works:
- If your shift begins before 10:00 am and ends after 5:00 pm, you don’t have four consecutive hours to get to the polls. That means you are entitled to up to two hours of paid leave to vote.
- You must give your employer 2-10 working days’ notice of your intention to take paid time off. “Working day” means a day that your employer is open for business. Don’t give fewer than 2 day’s notice, and don’t give more than 10.
- The employer is allowed to require that voting leave must occur at the beginning or end of your shift.
- Your employer may not require you to use earned leave (such as vacation, PTO, etc.) as your voting leave.
Please note: If your shift begins after 10:00 am or ends before 5:00 pm, then you have four consecutive hours in which to get to the polls, and you are not entitled to paid voting leave.
The New York State Board of Elections has a handy FAQ available for details. If you feel that your employer is violating this law, you can contact the New York State Division of Labor Standards (888-4-NSYDOL) or the New York State Attorney General’s Office Labor Bureau (212-416-8700).
Still have questions about New York paid voting leave? Contact a workplace attorney near you!