Can I get time off from work to vote in California?

Yes. If you don’t have enough time outside of work to vote, you have to right to take time off from work to vote — up to 2 hours, which must be paid time off. You need to tell your employer at least 2 working days in advance, and you can only take the time off at the start or end of your workday, unless you have made a different agreement with your boss.[267] If you are a part-time or temporary employee, then these rules still apply to you so long as you are hire to work for more than 52 hours over the course of 90 days.[268] If you are an independent contractor, you are not considered an employee by law, so these rules do NOT apply to you — you do NOT have the right to paid time off to vote.[269] However, even if you aren’t entitled to paid time off, you are still entitled to take a reasonable time off to vote, because federal law prohibits interfering with citizens’ right to vote.[270]

  1. 267

    Cal. Elec. Code § 14000.

  2. 268

    Cal. Lab. Code § 3352.

  3. 269

    Cal. Lab. Code § 3353.

  4. 270

    Voting Rights Act of 1965, Pub. L. 89-110 (1965).