Voting is important. Luckily, Illinois residents do not have to choose between their jobs and their civic duty.
Hallelujah, election day is almost here! In less 48 hours it will all be over (one way or the other) and we can all, hopefully, return to a base level of sanity.
Most people recognize the importance of voting, yet many employees feel they do not have time to get to the polls before or after working a full day.
Such worries are unfounded, though, because in Illinois most employees are entitled to take two paid hours off work to vote.
The statute governing voting rights says, “Every employee is entitled, after giving notice, to two hours off work, provided that the employee’s working hours begin less than 2 hours after the opening of the polls and end less than 2 hours before the closing of the polls.” The statute also provides, “No person or corporation shall refuse to an employee the privilege hereby conferred, nor shall subject an employee to a penalty, including a reduction in compensation due to an absence under this Section, because of the exercise of such privilege, nor shall directly or indirectly violate the provisions of this Section.”
Additionally, if that provision doesn’t provide enough flexibility, Illinois citizens can still take advantage of early voting through the end of the day today. To find an early voting location closest to you go here.
