Time-off Requests to Vote in State Elections

UB employees (State and Research Foundation) who are registered to vote may take up to two hours of leave, without charge to leave accruals, to vote in any NYS election when the employee does not have sufficient time to vote before or after their work shift.  Four consecutive hours either between the opening of the polls and the beginning of the employee’s work shift, or between the end of their work shift and the closing of the polls, is considered sufficient time to vote.

Civil Service employees are not required to have Attendance Rules coverage to be granted this leave with pay. 

The benefit is available immediately and applies to any:

• general election
• special election called by the Governor
• primary election
• municipal election

There is no cap on the number of elections per year an employee may request Time Off to Vote. Time off to Vote is not available for school or library elections. 

Employees must be allowed time off with pay (without charge to leave accruals) for up to two hours either at the beginning or end of their regularly scheduled work shift. Whether the leave to vote occurs at the beginning or end of the work shift is at the employer’s discretion and based on operating needs. 

While up to two hours of leave with pay is available for every election, not every employee’s situation will require a full two hours of Time Off to Vote. 

Employees who take paid leave to vote will need to record the time off as a non-chargeable absence.