---
title: What Employers Should Know as Election Time Nears
description: The General Election is on November 6, 2012. Employees have certain rights to take time off to vote, and employers have posting obligations.
---

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# [What Employers Should Know as Election Time Nears](https://promotion-payroll-hr.pinnaclehro.com/human-resources-articles/bid/79537/What-Employers-Should-Know-as-Election-Time-Nears)

 Written by [Michael Allen](https://promotion-payroll-hr.pinnaclehro.com/human-resources-articles/author/michael-allen) | Wed, Oct 17, 2012

The General Election is on November 6, 2012. Employees have certain rights to take time off to vote, and employers have posting obligations.

**Time Off To Vote  
**If an employee does not have sufficient time outside of working hours to vote in a statewide election, the employee may, without loss of pay, take up to two (2) hours of working time to vote. The time off must be taken at the beginning or end of the regular working shift, whichever gives the employee the most free time for voting and the least time off from working.

You and the employee may mutually agree to a different part of the working shift when the time off can be taken. The employee must notify you at least two (2) working days in advance to arrange a voting time.

**Posting Obligations  
**Employers must display a poster describing voting leave requirements at least 10 days before every statewide election. For a copy of the voting leave poster, and all required posters and notices, see the [Required Posters for the Workplace](http://www.calchamber.com/hrcalifornia/hr-library/posters-pamphlets/Pages/required-posters-pamphlets.aspx?CID=941) page on HRCalifornia and visit the CalChamber [store](http://www.calchamber.com/store/Pages/default.aspx?CID=941) to purchase.

**Sharing Information With Employees  
**Employers are within their rights to communicate with employees about issues, regulations, legislation or ballot measures that will have an impact on the workplace, jobs, the economy and the employees themselves.

But employers **may not take certain actions**: no paycheck stuffers; no coercion; no rewarding or punishing employees (or threatening to do so) for their political activities or beliefs.

For more guidelines on political communications to employees, see this [brochure](http://www.calchamber.com/guidelines)prepared by the CalChamber. Note the distinction between internal communications (to employees, stockholders and their families) and communications to external audiences (such as non-stockholder retirees, outside vendors, customers or passersby).

**CalChamber Urges Members to Register to Vote for November Elections  
**The California Chamber of Commerce is urging its members to register to vote for the November 6 General Election before the October 22 deadline.

An online link to register is available this [CalChamber site](http://www.calchambervotes.com/). Voter registration information is available at the [Secretary of State](http://www.sos.ca.gov/) website.

The last day to register to vote for the November 6 election is October 22, 2012. To register to vote, you must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony and have not been judged by a court to be mentally incompetent to register and vote.

See the [CalChamber’s positions](http://www.calchamber.com/GovernmentRelations/PoliticalAction/BallotMeasures/Pages/BallotMeasures.aspx) on November ballot measures.

 

Author: *HR Watchdog, HRCalifornia’s Employment Law Blog, © California Chamber of Commerce*

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