Can I Take Time Off Work to Vote?

It comes down to your state — there’s no single federal law. The good news: as of 2026, 28 states require employers to give time off to vote, and 21 of them (plus D.C.) require it to be paid. Below is how those laws typically work, an everyday example, a real state’s rule, and the one step that matters most — giving notice before Election Day.

What the Law Says

In states that guarantee voting leave, the rules usually share a pattern:

• A set amount of time — often one to three hours of paid leave.
• Advance notice — many states require you to ask a day or two before the election.
• Timing — leave generally applies when your shift doesn’t leave you enough time to vote while the polls are open.
• No penalty — your employer generally cannot discipline or dock you for using guaranteed voting leave.

The other seven of those states don’t require the time to be paid, and the rest of the country has no voting-leave law.

An Everyday Example

Your shift runs 7am–7pm and the polls in your state close at 7pm — so you wouldn’t have time to vote before or after work. In a state with paid voting leave, you can request, say, two hours that day to go vote, and your employer cannot dock your pay for it. The key is to ask in advance if your state requires notice.

A Real Example: California

California’s Election Code gives employees up to two hours of paid time off to vote if they don’t have enough time outside working hours, generally taken at the start or end of a shift, with about two days’ notice. Other states set their own amounts and rules — which is exactly the kind of state-specific detail to confirm before Election Day.

What This Means for You

Whether you’re entitled to time off — and whether it’s paid — comes down to your state. In 28 states it’s a guaranteed right, and 21 of them require it paid. Knowing your state’s notice rule ahead of Election Day is the key to using it. Early voting or mail-in voting can also avoid the issue entirely.