Presidential Election: How public and private sector employees can secure paid leave for voting
September 5, 2024 05:35 pm
The Election Commission has issued a notification outlining leave entitlements for employees in both public and private sectors during the 2024 presidential election, which is scheduled to be held on September 21.
However, the election regulatory body stated that the relevant leave provisions will facilitate the voters to attend the polling stations for voting without any loss of pay or impact on their personal leave allocations.
According to the guidelines, employees are entitled to the following leave based on the distance from their workplace to their designated polling station:
- Half a day’s leave for distances of 40 kilometers or less
- One day’s leave for distances between 40-100 kilometers
- One and a half days’ leave for distances between 100-150 kilometers
- Two days’ leave for distances exceeding 150 kilometers
Additionally, the Election Commission has noted that in instances where it may take voters three days to travel to and from their polling stations, employers have been advised to provide a three-day leave.
The Commission further emphasized that employees should apply for leave through a written request.
Furthermore, it has advised that the employers are required to maintain a record of those who apply for special leave, specifying the duration of the leave granted, and ensure that this information is clearly displayed at the workplace for transparency.
