Providing Time Off for Employees to Vote in the Provincial Election

Provincial elections will be happening across Alberta on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

Advanced poll locations are available to all eligible electors and for the first time are providing a ‘Vote Anywhere’ service, whereby electors can receive the ballot for their electoral divisions, at any location.

Information about the locations and their hours of operations can be found on Where to Vote cards mailed to electors, in local newspapers and on www.elections.ab.ca.

In accordance with Section 132 of the Election Act, employees are allowed three consecutive hours for the purpose of casting their vote on Election Day. The following information and guidelines from Bethany’s Leaves of Absence (Unpaid) Policy apply to grant employees time off work during a provincial election:

• An employee is entitled to three (3) consecutive hours during the period that the polls are open in which to vote in accordance with the Elections Acts.
• In accordance with the Elections Acts, employees whose work day ends by 1600 hours need not be given time off from work to vote. Similarly, those employees working evening or night shifts will have time to vote prior to coming on duty
• In the unlikely event that polling hours change to hours of operation that affect any employee shifts, schedules will be reviewed to ensure all employees have the necessary three hours available if they require and request it.

Voter information centre hours are 8:15 am to 8:00 pm weekdays, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm weekends, and 8:00 am to 8:00 pm on Election Day.
We encourage all eligible employees to exercise their right to vote and participate in this election. If you have any specific questions regarding time off for employees to vote, please contact me directly at jillian.palbom@bethanyseniors.com

Kindly,
Jillian Palbom
Manager, Human Resources