Description
District of Columbia Time Off to Vote Employee Poster
Help satisfy District of Columbia election notice requirements with the D.C. Time Off to Vote Employee Poster. District law provides eligible employees with at least two hours of paid leave to vote in person when requested and requires employers to maintain the applicable Time Off to Vote notice for employees.
Poster Specifications
- Size: 8.5"W x 11"H
- Orientation: Portrait
- Format: District of Columbia Time Off to Vote employee notice
- Finish: Completely laminated with high-quality laminate
- Requirement: D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.07a
Who Must Post the D.C. Time Off to Vote Notice?
District of Columbia employers must post and maintain the applicable Time Off to Vote notice for employees. The notice explains employee rights to paid voting leave and the procedures employers may establish for requesting and scheduling that leave.
How Much Time Off to Vote Do D.C. Employees Receive?
Upon request, an eligible employee must be provided with at least two hours of paid leave to vote in person when the employee would otherwise have been scheduled to work during the requested period.
The right applies to an employee voting in a District of Columbia election or, if the employee is not eligible to vote in the District, an election conducted by the jurisdiction where the employee is eligible to vote.
Is Time Off to Vote Paid?
Yes. An employer may not deduct an employee's salary, wages, or accrued leave because the employee uses qualifying voting leave under District law.
The employee's voting leave should therefore not be deducted from available vacation, sick leave, or other accrued paid leave.
Can Employers Require Advance Notice?
Yes. A D.C. employer may require an employee to request voting leave a reasonable amount of time in advance.
Employers should establish clear procedures so employees understand how and when to request paid voting leave.
Can the Employer Choose When the Employee Votes?
District law allows an employer to specify the hours during which an employee may take paid voting leave.
An employer may require the employee to take voting leave:
- During an available early voting period
- At the beginning of the employee's work shift
- At the end of the employee's work shift
- At another time consistent with applicable D.C. voting leave requirements
Does the Employee Have to Be a D.C. Voter?
No. An employee working for a District of Columbia employer does not have to be registered to vote in D.C. to qualify for the applicable voting leave.
If the employee is eligible to vote in another jurisdiction, the employee may request qualifying paid leave to vote in an election conducted by that jurisdiction.
Protection Against Retaliation
District of Columbia law prohibits employers from interfering with, restraining, or denying an employee's attempt to exercise qualifying voting leave rights.
Employers are also prohibited from retaliating against an employee for taking voting leave protected by D.C. law.
Where Must the D.C. Time Off to Vote Notice Be Displayed?
The Time Off to Vote notice must be made available to employees as required by District law and the D.C. Board of Elections.
For applicable election notices, employers should display the notice conspicuously at locations where employees report to work or otherwise provide the notice to employees in accordance with current D.C. Board of Elections instructions.
Appropriate workplace locations can include:
- Employee break rooms
- Employee bulletin boards
- Time-clock areas
- Employee entrances
- Human Resources areas
- Other conspicuous locations where employees regularly receive workplace notices
Is the D.C. Time Off to Vote Poster Required?
Yes. D.C. Official Code § 1-1001.07a requires employers to post and maintain a notice developed by the D.C. Board of Elections explaining employee voting leave rights.
Employers should use the current notice issued by the Board of Elections for the applicable election.
Does the Time Off to Vote Poster Change?
Yes. The D.C. Board of Elections issues Time Off to Vote notices for specific elections. These notices can contain election-specific information such as election dates, early voting periods, voting hours, and other current election information.
Employers should make sure they are displaying the current notice for the applicable election rather than relying on an outdated notice from a previous election.
2026 District of Columbia Elections
The D.C. Board of Elections has issued Time Off to Vote employee notices for the 2026 election cycle, including the 2026 Primary Election and General Election.
Employers should display the applicable current election notice and replace prior election-specific versions when a new notice is issued.
District of Columbia Workplace Compliance Resources
Labor Law Compliance Center provides District of Columbia employers with state and federal labor law posters, employee notices, specialty workplace postings, and compliance resources. Visit our District of Columbia Labor Law Posters page for additional D.C. workplace posting requirements and compliance products.
