Table of Contents

  • Alphabetical Listing
  • Introduction
  • Attendance
  • Benefits
  • Classification
  • Definitions
  • Employee and     Labour Relations
  • General Employee     Information
  • Human Resources      Contact Numbers
  • Leave
  • Occupational Health     and Safety
  • Pay
  • Staffing
  • Travel
  • Workforce     Development

Leave to Vote

Policy Statement

Eligible employees will be provided paid time off, where necessary, in order to vote in a Municipal, Provincial or Federal Election.

Application

This policy applies to all employees. Bargaining unit employees should also consult their respective collective agreements.

Definitions

Responsibility

Department

It is the responsibility of individual departments to:

• allow eligible employees necessary time off to vote in accordance with the appropriate Act; and
• determine the specific hours for which paid time off to vote will be approved, where paid time off is necessary, in consultation with the employee.

Employee

Employees are encouraged to notify their supervisors, prior to the day of the election, that they require time off to vote.

Municipal and Provincial Elections

Eligible employees are entitled to 4 consecutive hours to vote during the period of time in which the polls are open, as per the Elections Act, 1991 and the Municipal Elections Act.

Where employees’ scheduled hours of work do not allow for adequate time to vote, the Employer, upon request, will allow employees the necessary paid time off for the purposes of voting, up to 4 consecutive hours.

Where paid time off is necessary, the Employer, in consultation with the employee, will determine the specific hours for which paid time off to vote will be approved.

Time off to vote, to a maximum of 4 hours, will not be deducted from employees’ pay.

In elections where the option of mail-in ballots and polling stations both exist, employees will still be entitled to 4 consecutive hours to vote during the period of time in which the polls are open, provided that the employees have not previously voted by a mail-in ballot option.

Federal Elections

Eligible employees are entitled to 3 consecutive hours to vote during the period of time in which the polls are open as per the Canada Elections Act.

Where employees’ scheduled hours of work do not allow for adequate time to vote, the Employer, upon request, will allow employees the necessary paid time off for the purposes of voting, up to 3 consecutive hours. 

Where paid time off is necessary, the Employer, in consultation with the employee, will determine the specific hours for which paid time off to vote will be approved.

Time off to vote, to a maximum of 3 hours, will not be deducted from employees’ pay.

Last Updated: February 2, 2007
Reference: TBM 2000-073; TBM 2007-031