Do I get time off to vote in Arizona?

Question

Accepted Answer

Yes — in Arizona, an employee entitled to vote in a primary or general election may be absent from work on election day if there are less than three consecutive hours between the opening of the polls and the beginning of the employee's regular workshift, or between the end of the workshift and the closing of the polls.

If that gap is smaller than three consecutive hours, the employee may take enough time at the beginning or end of the shift so that the time off, combined with the gap between the workshift and the polls' hours, totals three consecutive hours.  The employee cannot be penalized for this absence, and no deduction may be made from the employee's usual salary or wages because of it.

To use this right, the employee must apply for the absence before election day, and the employer may specify which hours the employee may be absent.  An employer who refuses this right, penalizes the employee, or reduces wages because of it is guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.