October 26 Tip of the Week

With Election Day just around the corner, employers need to take a moment to refresh themselves on the voting leave laws in each state where they have employees working.  Why?  Because voting leave laws differ widely among the various states and noncompliance with many of the laws is a crime.  For a glimpse of the differences among the states, consider Alabama versus Minnesota.  Alabama’s voting leave law provide 1 hour of unpaid time off to vote unless the employee’s shift commences at least two hours after the opening of the polls or ends at least one hour prior to the closing of the pools.  Conversely, Minnesota’s law simply provides that employers have to provide employees with “sufficient’ time to vote, which must be paid.  Brush up on these laws now so you don’t run afoul of your states’ voting leave law next week.  Consult with our attorneys if you need assistance wading through the various differences or making sense of some of the more vague statutes.