Overview

This guidance applies to the national 2024 Presidential election in November. GVSU believes it is good practice to allow employees take paid time off to vote if there isn't enough time for the employee to vote outside of working hours.

Voting

A department should provide an employee with sufficient time, generally up to two (2) hours of paid time off, for voting. Employees must work with their supervisors to ensure sufficient notice of absence and to maintain department operations. The two (2) hours is considered paid time off, but will not be deducted from the employee’s annual time balance. This will only be available to staff that are scheduled to work on election day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.

Volunteering at Polls

Any full-time employee that works at a polling station will be granted a full paid day off based on scheduled hours. Employees must work with their supervisors to ensure sufficient notice of absence and to maintain departmental operations. An employee who earns income from working at a polling station will receive the difference between this income and regular pay.

• Optional Written Agreement Form for Volunteer Poll Worker (For internal use to be maintained by staff member and supervisor or unit head. Not required to submit to Human Resources)

Time Tracking

All employees who are eligible for absence and are using voting release time to vote/volunteer are expected to "Request Absence" in Workday and select either "Voting Release" or "Voting Poll Worker" for the time off code. This does not impact any current PTO banks.