Sponsors (53)
The bill expands paid voting leave protections for employees on federal election days while imposing additional costs, penalties, and compliance burdens on employers and government enforcers.
Employees at covered employers (those with 25 or more employees) gain at least two consecutive paid hours on federal election days to vote or perform voting-related activities.
Employees taking voting leave do not lose accrued employment benefits, protecting pay and benefits continuity while they vote.
The bill preserves stronger state and local voting‑leave protections by not preempting laws that provide more generous leave.
Employers with 25 or more employees may face increased payroll and staffing costs to provide paid leave or cover shifts during voting periods.
Employers face civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, creating potential legal and financial risk for employers uncertain about compliance.
Employers can require that the voting leave be taken during employer‑specified hours (including early voting), which may limit timing flexibility for some employees.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Requires most employers with 25 or more employees to give workers at least two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote or return a mailed ballot on any Federal election day when polls or voting sites are open. Employers may set the specific two-hour window (including during early voting if state law allows), cannot count a normal lunch or break as that paid voting time, and must preserve accrued benefits for employees who use the leave. The Department of Labor enforces the rule, with investigatory authority and civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, and the rule takes effect for the first Federal election after the law is enacted.
Introduced August 5, 2025 by Nikema Williams · Last progress August 5, 2025