In California, employers are not required to provide employees paid time off (PTO). But even when employers do not offer PTO, a voter can take up to two paid hours off to go vote, so they won’t lose any pay!
The rules also say that this voting time off should be at the beginning or end of the person’s shift. For example, they might come in late or leave a little early to vote. This way, they get the most time to vote while missing the least amount of work. However, if the employer and employee both agree, they can pick a different time.
If a worker knows ahead of time that they’ll need time off to vote, they should let their boss know at least two days before election day. This helps the employer plan for it and makes sure everything goes smoothly. These rules are here to help everyone take part in voting, no matter how busy they are on election day!
(See Link(s): CA Elec Code § 14000 (2023)