Time Off to Vote Act
Sponsored By: Senator Mazie Hirono
Introduced
Summary
A national paid leave for voting. This bill would require employers to give employees at least two consecutive hours of paid leave during Federal election voting hours to vote, return a mail ballot, or perform other voting-related activities.
Show full summary
- Workers and families: Employees could use paid time to vote or return ballots without losing any employment benefits that accrued before the leave. Employers may set when the leave must be taken and can require it during state early-voting periods.
- Employers: The rule would apply to employers with 25 or more employees. Violations could trigger civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation and enforcement by the Secretary of Labor under authority like the Family and Medical Leave Act.
- Voter protections and timing: The bill would make it illegal to interfere with or retaliate against employees who use the leave and would defer to state or local laws that provide greater leave. It would take effect beginning with the first Federal election after enactment.
Your PRIA Score
Personalized for You
How does this bill affect your finances?
Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.
Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
Worker protections and employer penalties
If enacted, the bill would make it illegal for an employer to interfere with, deny, or punish an employee for taking voting leave. Employees would keep any job benefits they earned before taking the leave. The Secretary of Labor would have investigatory authority like under the FMLA. Employers that break the rule could face civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, payable to the U.S. Treasury and recoverable in federal court. The Secretary must weigh employer size, gravity, good faith, and past violations when assessing fines. This would start with the first Federal election after enactment.
Two-hour paid voting leave for workers
If enacted, the bill would let you get two consecutive hours of paid leave to vote on any Federal election day while polls or voting sites are open. The leave would also cover returning a mailed ballot in person and other voting activities. Your employer could set when the two hours must be taken and may require using it during a State early voting period. Lunch or other breaks could not count toward the two hours but can be taken right before or after. Employers must provide the leave when you request it. This would start with the first Federal election after enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Mazie Hirono
HI • D
Cosponsors
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Lisa Blunt Rochester
DE • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Cory Booker
NJ • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Richard Durbin
IL • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Timothy Kaine
VA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
John Reed
RI • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Elizabeth Warren
MA • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Sheldon Whitehouse
RI • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Sponsored 7/30/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
View on Congress.govTake It Personal
Get Your Personalized Policy View
Start a Free Government Policy Watch to see how policy affects your household, then upgrade to PRIA Full Coverage for year-round monitoring.
Already have an account? Sign in