Election Day is approaching, and some states have declared the date to be a public holiday, while others have mandated that employers must provide paid time off for voting.
For instance, in New York state, employees are eligible for up to two hours of paid time off in the event that they are not given "sufficient time to vote," according to the New York State Board of Elections. This is described as four consecutive hours to vote either from when the polls open to the beginning of their shift, or four consecutive hours between the end of their shift and when the polls close.
According to the Movement Advancement Project (MAP), an independent, nonprofit think tank, only five states have declared Election Day a public holiday and require employers to provide paid time off for voting.
Voting signs at the Reo Elections Office on Oct. 3, 2024, in Lansing, Michigan. (Bill Pugliano/Getty Images / Getty Images)
Nineteen states do not declare Election Day as a public holiday and do not require employers to provide paid time off for voting.
"Vote Here" signs outside a polling station in East Lansing, Michigan, on Aug. 1, 2024. (Emily Elconin/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)
State does not have Election Day as a public holiday and does not require employers to provide paid time off for voting: