After the federal election, GSU staff rep Brian Lark received complaints from members who were denied time off to vote or told they’d have to “make up” the time.
Under the Canada Elections Act, every employee who is eligible to vote is entitled to three consecutive hours off during voting hours to cast their ballot. This applies to both federal and provincial elections.
If your work schedule already gives you three hours while the polls are open—for example, if you work 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM and polls are open until 7:30 PM—your employer doesn’t need to give you additional time off. But if your schedule doesn’t allow for that (say, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM), your employer must adjust your hours to ensure you get the full three consecutive hours to vote.
Employers can choose when you take that time, but they can’t dock your pay or penalize you for using it. Make sure to talk with your supervisor ahead of time if you’ll need time off to vote.
“If you’re a GSU member being denied time off to vote on an election day after requesting it, contact your GSU staff rep right away. We can help make sure you get the time you need,” Lark said. “If you wait until after the polls close, we can still follow up and have that discussion with your employer—but your chance to vote will be gone.”
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