How much paid time can employees get to vote?

Up to 3 hours of paid leave on Election Day, during polling hours, if needed. Employees must ask their supervisor before 12:00 p.m. the day before the election.

If the employee’s shift starts 3+ hours after polls open or ends 3+ hours before polls close in their county of residence, they are not eligible for voting leave.

Recordkeeping: Code as ADMEL (Administrative Leave for Election).

Example: If polls close at 7:00 p.m. and the regular shift ends at 4:30 p.m., an approved request to leave at 4:00 p.m. gives a reasonable time to vote.

Note on time zones: Because polls in Eastern Time may close at 8:00 p.m., this policy mainly affects employees there whose schedules leave less than 3 hours between shift end and 8:00 p.m. Otherwise, the rule typically affects employees in the Central Time Zone.

For more information, visit the State of Tennessee Attendance and Leave Manual.