EXCUSED LEAVE TO VOTE IN THE JUNE 25th PRIMARY
(CSEA Received this information this afternoon, June 21st, from OCA. Please direct all inquiries to your supervisor or district office.)
The New York State Election Law was recently amended to provide all employees, whether full or part-time, up to three hours of paid leave in order to vote in any general election, special election called by the Governor, primary election, or municipal election, excluding school or library elections.
This paid leave applies to the primary elections being held on Tuesday.
In order to be eligible for paid leave to vote on Tuesday, an employee must be actively registered to vote. Travel time is included in the three hours. Any absence beyond the three-hour maximum must be charged to the employee’s leave credits. Employees should notify their manager/supervisor as soon as possible if they will require time off to vote in Tuesday’s elections. Employees already scheduled to be out on any type of approved leave on Tuesday, or that call in sick, may vote on their own time and are not entitled to charge any portion of their absence to excused leave.
Employees can be required to take this paid leave either at the beginning or end of their regular shift, as determined by the appropriate Deputy Chief Administrative Judge (Courts Within or Outside New York City). Court managers/supervisors and employees will be notified shortly of this determination.
Employees must furnish proof of active voter registration in order to substantiate the use of excused leave, i.e. copy of voter registration card or online voter registration status, correspondence from Board of Elections. Such proof may be provided in advance of the leave or upon the employee’s return to work. In no event shall an employee disclose political party affiliation or enrollment, i.e. this information must be redacted by the employee. Employees may access their voter registration status online at https://voterlookup.elections.ny.gov/