In 2019, forty-four percent of U.S. employers offered their workers paid time off to vote, and this number is growing.1 Giving employees time to vote demonstrates a commitment to our most important civic duty and aligns corporate brands with customer values. Check out our Time to Vote resource to learn about a variety of ways employers can support employees with time to vote, along with employer considerations and examples.
Did You Know?
- 1 in 7 nonvoters in the 2016 general election didn’t vote because they were too busy or had a schedule conflict
- 70% Americans agree that high voter turnout is very important in presidential elections3
- 79% consumers believe companies should take action on political and social issues4
- 87% consumers believe companies have the power to influence change4
The majority of U.S. states currently have voter-leave laws. These mandates often require between one and four hours to vote and have conditions, such as requesting time in advance or not having the ability to vote outside of work hours. A company-wide policy provides continuity and equitable access to voting across a large employer’s workforce. What’s more, 69% of employees granted time off to vote report a strong desire to work for their company a year from now, compared to 48% who don’t have the same flexibility.5
Employers can give time to vote in variety of ways from offering flexible work arrangements or vote leave to designating Election Day a holiday. The right practice your company will be unique to the needs and priorities of your employees, customers and shareholders, in addition to legal requirements.
