Under Illinois law, employees have the right to schedule a two-hour work absence for the purpose of voting. The absence must be scheduled in advance with the employer and the employer may specify the hours during which the employee may be absent . The relevant portion of the law is highlighted below:
10 ILCS 5/17-15
Any person entitled to vote at a general or special election or at any election at which propositions are submitted to a popular vote in this State, shall, on the day of such election, be entitled to absent himself from any services or employment in which he is then engaged or employed, for a period of 2 hours between the time of opening and closing the polls; and such voter shall not because of so absenting himself be liable to any penalty; Provided, however, that application for such leave of absence shall be made prior to the day of election. The employer may specify the hours during which said employee may absent himself as aforesaid. No person or corporation shall refuse to an employee the privilege hereby conferred, nor shall subject an employee to a penalty because of the exercise of such privilege, nor shall directly or indirectly violate the provisions of this section.
© Copyright Illinois Federation of Teachers, 2008. All rights reserved. Photographs, illustrations and text cannot be used without the express permission of the IFT. Contact iftpac@ift-aft.org with your questions or comments.