Dive Brief:
- How can employers motivate employees to get out and vote? For about 300 tech firms, the idea is they have plenty of time to cast their ballot by giving them the day off with pay, according to the Washington Post.
- The employers, which include many smaller firms as well as brand names such as Spotify, About.com and the Wikimedia Foundation, are also trying to do their part in reversing the sinking numbers of Americans getting out to vote. Also, those tech industry participants are hopeful that their example will rub off on other employers.
- Jim Pugh, founder of the political data firm ShareProgress has endorsed the policy and told the Post, this practice could influence other employers to do the same.
Dive Insight:
While it's not clear if many, or any, employers other than those in the tech sector will follow suit, it's a federal law that employers have to give workers time off to vote. The basic rule of thumb is to follow the state rules, because states can vary as to how much time off workers can get for voting.
Giving employees up to two hours of paid time off to vote if they can't reasonably get to their polling places during off-hours is standard practice. However, creative HR leaders who have the right workforce composition might want to convince senior leadership that giving employees election day off can be a way to attract talent, especially younger workers who look for employers committed to serving a higher purpose. By encouraging and helping workers to vote, employers can also boost engagement by showing existing employees they care and are supportive in expressing their right to vote.