Can I take time off work to vote?

With the election coming up soon, you may wonder how you will work heading to polls into your already busy day. While you certainly could mail in your vote, many people prefer to vote in person.

Luckily, in Arizona, you do not have to choose between voting and going to work. According to 12 News, the law allows you to take time off of work to vote, and your employer has to pay you for the time off.

The details

The law saying your employer must give you time off applies to both primary and general elections. Your employer must give you up to three hours off work. You must take the time consecutively and between the hours in which the polls are open. Your employer also must pay you for the time you are off work.

Exceptions

The way the law works is not as straightforward as it seems. You cannot simply take off three hours and say you are voting.

It depends on your schedule. If the polls open before your time to come to work, then your employer may not have to give you any time off. For example, if the polls open at 7:00 a.m., but you do not report to work until 10:00 a.m., then your employer does not have to give you any time off. The same is true if you have three hours or more after your shift in which the polls are open.

Your employer may also not have to give you the full three hours. For example, if the polls open at 7:00 a.m. and you report to work at 9:00 a.m., then your employer can give you one hour off to comply with the law. Ultimately, when it comes to voting in Arizona, employees needing to get to the polls should have access to the time required to cast their votes.