If you work in Washington, D.C. and are eligible to vote, D.C. law may give you the right to request at least two hours of paid leave to vote in person. The law can apply whether you vote in a D.C. election or in the jurisdiction where you are registered to vote, such as Maryland or Virginia.
That matters for D.C. employees before the November 3, 2026 General Election. Early voting in the District runs from Monday, October 26 through Sunday, November 1, and D.C. vote centers will be open on Election Day, Tuesday, November 3.
This is not a vacation day or unpaid time off. An employer may set reasonable rules about advance notice and may specify when you take the leave, but it cannot deduct your wages or accrued leave for covered voting time.
Table of Contents
• Does D.C. Law Require Paid Time Off to Vote?
• Who Is Covered by D.C.’s Paid Voting-Leave Law?
• Can Maryland and Virginia Voters Use D.C. Paid Voting Leave?
• How Much Paid Time Off Can I Request to Vote?
• Can My Employer Choose When I Take Voting Leave?
• How Should I Request Paid Time Off to Vote?
• What Should I Do if My Request Is Denied or I Face Retaliation?
• What This Means for Employees
• Contact an Employment Lawyer
Does D.C. Law Require Paid Time Off to Vote?
Yes. Under D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a, an employer must provide at least two hours of paid leave to an eligible employee who requests time to vote in person, provided the employee otherwise would have been scheduled to work during the requested time.
The right is tied to in-person voting. It may be used for a D.C. election if you are eligible to vote in D.C. If you are registered elsewhere, it may also be used for an election run by the jurisdiction where you are eligible to vote.
For the November 2026 election, D.C. early voting is available daily from October 26 through November 1, from 8:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Election Day is November 3, with vote centers open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Who Is Covered by D.C.’s Paid Voting-Leave Law?
The statute defines an employee as an individual employed by an employer who is eligible to vote. It defines an employer as a person who employs someone for compensation. The law does not include a minimum employer-size threshold in its text.
The practical question is whether you are a D.C. employee who is eligible to vote and would otherwise be scheduled to work during the time you request for in-person voting. If you have a question about whether the law applies to your work arrangement, ask early rather than waiting until Election Day.
Can Maryland and Virginia Voters Use D.C. Paid Voting Leave?
Potentially, yes. The D.C. statute expressly covers an employee who is not eligible to vote in the District but is eligible to vote in another jurisdiction. In that situation, the employee may request paid leave to vote in an election run by the jurisdiction where the employee is eligible to vote.
That means a Maryland or Virginia resident who works in D.C. may have a D.C. paid-voting-leave right for the election where they are registered, as long as the other requirements of the law are met. This cross-border protection is especially relevant to D.C.-area commuters.
How Much Paid Time Off Can I Request to Vote?
The law requires at least two hours of paid leave. Your employer may not deduct that covered time from your salary, wages, vacation, sick leave, or other accrued leave.
The law does not guarantee a full day away from work or require an employer to provide the exact time an employee prefers. It provides a minimum amount of paid time to vote in person during a period when the employee otherwise would have been scheduled to work.
Can My Employer Choose When I Take Voting Leave?
Yes, within limits. An employer may require you to request leave a reasonable time in advance. It may also specify the hours when you take the leave, including by requiring you to vote during the early-voting period or at the beginning or end of your shift.
For this reason, do not wait until the morning of Election Day. Early voting begins October 26, so a written request before then gives you and your workplace time to settle on a covered period.
How Should I Request Paid Time Off to Vote?
Use a short written request. An email creates a clear record of the date, your request, and the proposed time.
You can use this language:
Subject: Request for Paid Time Off to VoteI am requesting two hours of paid leave to vote in person under D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a. I am scheduled to work during that time. I propose taking the leave on [date] from [time] to [time], but I am available to discuss another covered time during early voting or at the beginning or end of my shift.
Keep a copy of the request and any response. You do not need to provide personal information beyond what is reasonably necessary to make the request. If your employer directs you to use early voting or another time at the beginning or end of your shift, preserve that direction in writing.
What Can’t My Employer Do?
An employer may not interfere with, restrain, or deny an employee’s attempt to use covered voting leave. It also may not retaliate against an employee for taking that leave.
Retaliation can include more than termination. Depending on the facts, it may include discipline, threats, reduced hours, an unfavorable schedule change, a negative review, or other punishment tied to the voting-leave request.
The law also requires employers to post a conspicuous notice explaining the voting-leave rights. The D.C. Board of Elections’ employee notice states that it must be posted where employees report to work or otherwise provided to employees.
What Should I Do if My Request Is Denied or I Face Retaliation?
First, preserve the record. Save your written request, your manager’s response, work schedules, time records, any company voting-leave policy, and the required notice if you can access it lawfully. Write down the date, the people involved, and what was said.
Next, consider a clear written follow-up. You may state that you are requesting the paid leave provided by D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a and ask the employer to identify an available covered time if it cannot accommodate the time you proposed.
Do not assume that a denied request or adverse action will fix itself after the election. The statute prohibits interference and retaliation, but the legal options in any situation depend on the facts. An employee-side employment lawyer can help evaluate a denial, retaliation concern, or related workplace action.
What This Means for Employees
D.C. employees should not have to choose between their paycheck and voting in person. If you are scheduled to work while you need to vote, you may request at least two hours of paid leave under D.C. law.
Ask early, make the request in writing, be prepared for your employer to select an early-voting period or the beginning or end of your shift, and keep a copy of the exchange. For D.C.-area commuters, remember that the law can also protect eligible Maryland and Virginia voters who work in the District.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to be a D.C. resident to use D.C. paid voting leave?
No. The law covers an employee who is eligible to vote in D.C. or, if not eligible to vote in D.C., in the jurisdiction where the employee is eligible to vote.
Can my employer make me use early voting instead of Election Day?
Yes. The statute allows an employer to specify the hours for voting leave, including by requiring use of an early-voting period.
Can my employer require advance notice?
Yes. An employer may require the request to be made a reasonable time in advance. Making the request in writing before early voting begins is a practical approach.
Does the voting leave come out of my PTO or sick leave?
No. The statute says an employer may not deduct from an employee’s salary, wages, or accrued leave for covered voting leave.
What if I am not scheduled to work when I plan to vote?
The paid-leave right applies when you otherwise would have been scheduled to work during the time requested. If you are not scheduled to work during the period you plan to vote, the statute does not require separate paid leave.
Can I use the law to vote by mail?
No. The statute provides paid leave to vote in person.
Contact an Employment Lawyer
If your employer denied a covered request for paid voting leave, deducted pay or accrued leave, or retaliated against you for attempting to use your rights, contact The Spiggle Law Firm to tell us about your case.
References
[1] D.C. Code § 1-1001.07a, Leave to Vote
[2] D.C. Board of Elections, Early Vote Centers for the November 3, 2026 General Election
[3] D.C. Board of Elections, Time Off to Vote Employee Notice
This article is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Every situation is different.
