What are the general guidelines for granting time off for voting?
A – Generally, where the polls are not open at least 3 hours either before or after an employee’s regular work hours, an agency may grant a limited amount of excused absence (i.e., without loss of pay or charge to leave) that will permit the employee to report for work 3 hours after the polls open or leave from work 3 hours before the polls close, whichever requires the lesser amount of time off. Typically, polling places throughout the United States are open for extended periods of time. Therefore, excused absence should rarely be needed. (Note: An employee’s “regular work hours” are to be determined by reference to the time of day the employee normally arrives at and departs from work.
A – Generally, where the polls are not open at least 3 hours either before or after an employee’s regular work hours, an agency may grant a limited amount of excused absence (i.e., without loss of pay or charge to leave) that will permit the employee to report for work 3 hours after the polls open or leave from work 3 hours before the polls close, whichever requires the lesser amount of time off. Typically, polling places throughout the United States are open for extended periods of time. Therefore, excused absence should rarely be needed.
