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davis_square[compiled from a couple of emails they've sent recently]
In Massachusetts, companies that don't give their employees the chance to vote are breaking the law.
It's important that managers and HR departments know that companies standing in the way of voting could be breaking a state law. It's wrong for companies to take advantage of rigid work schedules, long commutes and limited child care options to keep people from voting. No one should have to choose between earning a living, raising a family and exercising their right to vote.
If you have questions about whether your company's policy is legal, please go to: http://www.timetovote.net/voter_leave_laws.html
or email: info@timetovote.net
If you feel that your employer is not respecting these laws, or if you see things happening in your local area that suggest that the election is not being administered with integrity, please call the Election Protection Toll-Free Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
But please don't call it now to find out your state's voter leave laws. For that, please refer to the website or the email address above.
Also, to find out more about Election Protection and to find your state's Voter Bill of Rights, please visit: http://www.electionprotection2004.org
1. Ensure that your company has procedures in place to comply with the laws in 30 states that give workers the right to take time off to vote.
2. Educate line managers and supervisors about state voter leave laws and the company's commitment to complying with them. Establish a confidential hotline employees can call if supervisors are violating their voter leave rights.
3. Conduct a robust communications campaign using e-mail, paycheck inserts, staff meetings and other methods to educate employees about their right to take time off to vote.
4. Create a company-wide voter leave policy giving workers the opportunity to take a limited amount of time off at the beginning or end of the work day to vote.
5. Adjust the company's paid time off (PTO) policy to explicitly include voting. Add an additional one to three hours to all employees' PTO accounts or let employees know that the company will extend additional PTO equal to the amount of leave taken for voting if they exhaust their PTO on Election Day and need time in the future for a medical appointment or family emergency.
6. Encourage Election Day job sharing, allowing employees to cover one another's work responsibilities so time-pressured employees can vote. Ensure that any adjustments in work schedules comply with collective bargaining agreements, state and federal law.
7. Create a "stay in line" policy that exempts employees who are late to work on Election Day because they were unexpectedly delayed at the polls from penalties or loss of wages.
8. Encourage managers to avoid planning meetings on Election Day that start earlier than 11:00 a.m. or end later than 3:00 p.m.
9. Remind employees about early voting and absentee voting.
10. Ensure that election-related activities in the workplace mobilizing employees likely to vote for a particular agenda are balanced by an equally robust time off to vote policy available to all workers regardless of their political beliefs.
In Massachusetts, companies that don't give their employees the chance to vote are breaking the law.
It's important that managers and HR departments know that companies standing in the way of voting could be breaking a state law. It's wrong for companies to take advantage of rigid work schedules, long commutes and limited child care options to keep people from voting. No one should have to choose between earning a living, raising a family and exercising their right to vote.
If you have questions about whether your company's policy is legal, please go to: http://www.timetovote.net/voter_leave_laws.html
or email: info@timetovote.net
If you feel that your employer is not respecting these laws, or if you see things happening in your local area that suggest that the election is not being administered with integrity, please call the Election Protection Toll-Free Hotline at 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
But please don't call it now to find out your state's voter leave laws. For that, please refer to the website or the email address above.
Also, to find out more about Election Protection and to find your state's Voter Bill of Rights, please visit: http://www.electionprotection2004.org
Ten Recommendations for Companies on Voting Policies
1. Ensure that your company has procedures in place to comply with the laws in 30 states that give workers the right to take time off to vote.
2. Educate line managers and supervisors about state voter leave laws and the company's commitment to complying with them. Establish a confidential hotline employees can call if supervisors are violating their voter leave rights.
3. Conduct a robust communications campaign using e-mail, paycheck inserts, staff meetings and other methods to educate employees about their right to take time off to vote.
4. Create a company-wide voter leave policy giving workers the opportunity to take a limited amount of time off at the beginning or end of the work day to vote.
5. Adjust the company's paid time off (PTO) policy to explicitly include voting. Add an additional one to three hours to all employees' PTO accounts or let employees know that the company will extend additional PTO equal to the amount of leave taken for voting if they exhaust their PTO on Election Day and need time in the future for a medical appointment or family emergency.
6. Encourage Election Day job sharing, allowing employees to cover one another's work responsibilities so time-pressured employees can vote. Ensure that any adjustments in work schedules comply with collective bargaining agreements, state and federal law.
7. Create a "stay in line" policy that exempts employees who are late to work on Election Day because they were unexpectedly delayed at the polls from penalties or loss of wages.
8. Encourage managers to avoid planning meetings on Election Day that start earlier than 11:00 a.m. or end later than 3:00 p.m.
9. Remind employees about early voting and absentee voting.
10. Ensure that election-related activities in the workplace mobilizing employees likely to vote for a particular agenda are balanced by an equally robust time off to vote policy available to all workers regardless of their political beliefs.
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