As Election Day approaches on Tuesday, Nov. 5, and with early voting already in full swing, it’s a good time to revisit the University System of Georgia’s policy on voting leave.
The USG encourages employees to exercise their right to vote in all federal, state, and local elections.
The policy complies with state law and allows employees the flexibility to request time off to vote. Please take a moment to review the most recent USG policy on voting leave here.
Key Points from the Voting Leave Policy
- Eligibility: Paid voting leave is available to all regular, benefits-eligible employees. Up to two hours of paid leave may be granted for voting in municipal, county, state, or federal elections.
- Time Off Requests: Employees must provide reasonable notice to their supervisors and follow standard leave request procedures. Institutions may specify the hours during which voting leave may be taken to minimize operational disruption. Instructions on submitting an absence request for leave (including voting leave) can be found here.
- Additional Time: Employees may use annual leave or compensatory time if more than two hours are needed. Voting leave is not cumulative; unused time does not carry over to future elections/years.
- Flexible Scheduling: Supervisors should offer flexible scheduling to ensure that all employees can vote within the two-hour limit.