Voters have the right to miss work to cast ballots

Think you might have a hard time both working and finding time to vote in Tuesday’s primary election?

You shouldn’t: Your right to time off to vote is protected under Arizona law.

And voting in Arizona apparently needs all the help it can get, with just 27 percent of voters statewide turning out for the 2014 primary election.

Pima County only slightly higher, with a 30 percent turnout.

Arizona employees are entitled to take up to three hours to vote, and the time taken must be paid. However, they are only entitled to take the time necessary at either the beginning or end of their shift.

Since polls in Arizona are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., for example, if someone’s shift starts at 9 a.m. they’re not entitled to time off because there was a three-hour voting window before their workday begins.

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The same applies to the end of your shift. For example, if your shift is over at 6 p.m., and you need to leave early in order to vote before the polls close at 7 p.m., your employer must pay you for that time off.

Employers are not required to pay for more than three hours time off for voting.

No recent complaints have been filed about employers preventing people from voting, said Steve Kilar, communications director with the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona.

The employee needs to ask for the time off in advance, he said, and the employer can dictate when the employer can go vote.

Employers who refuses to accommodate an employee’s right to vote or docks pay for voting could be found guilty of a class 2 misdemeanor.