Federal legislation would give employees time off to vote

© Shutterstock

Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives would require employers to give employees at least two hours of paid leave to vote in federal elections.

In 2020, only 23 states and Washington, D.C., guaranteed workers some paid time off to vote.

The Time Off to Vote Act would allow wage earners time to vote. Each election, many people choose not to vote because they cannot afford to take time off from work.

U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright (D-PA) introduced the bill along with U.S. Reps. Cheri Bustos (D-IL), Andy Levin (D-MI), and Nikema Williams (D-GA). The bill has more than a dozen co-sponsors, including U.S. Rep. Brendan Boyle (D-PA).

“Voting should not be a luxury that only the well-off can afford,” Cartwright said. “This bill, which ensures that American workers can cast their ballots without risking their paychecks, is an important addition to the critical voting rights legislation passed by the House earlier this year.”

The bill has the support of numerous organizations, including Vote.org, Voters of Tomorrow, League of Conservation Voters, End Citizens United/Let America Vote Action Fund, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Georgia Association of Latino Elected Officials/GALEO Impact Fund.