Effective immediately under the NY Election Law § 3-110 which has been recently revised, an employee who is a registered voter may take off time from work for a maximum of three hours to vote in any election, without loss of pay. At least two working days prior to the election is when the employee must notify the employer. An employer may determine that either at the
beginning or end of the employee’s work shift is when the time can be taken.
Still intact in this law is the requirement that employers must post a notice in a conspicuous place describing employees’ rights under the law at least ten work days before every election, until the polls close on election day.
Employers in New York State need to ensure that managers and human resources professionals are aware of the law’s new requirements. They should also review / revise existing voting paid time off policies and Election Law notices to comply with the new law.
