Georgia Expands Voting Leave: Compliance Reminder

Starting July 1, 2023, Georgia’s voting leave law—which applies to employers of all sizes—will be expanded to allow employees to take time off to vote on the day of an election or on any in-person early voting day. Employers will also need to provide voting leave regardless of an employee’s work schedule. (Previously, employers only had to provide leave if an employee didn’t have two hours to vote before or after work while the polls were open.)

 

Time off to vote can be limited to two hours and be unpaid, though exempt employees can’t have their pay reduced for the absence. Voting leave must be made available for any municipal, county, state, or federal election, including primaries.

 

Action Items

• Update your voting leave policy.
• Ensure that managers are made aware of the change and are providing appropriate time off to vote.

 

Georgia Family Care Act Made Permanent Law

As of July 1, 2023, the sunset clause of Georgia’s Family Care Act (a.k.a. kin care law) has been repealed and it will be a permanent law requiring continued employer compliance. The law was set to end, without continuation or removal of the sunset clause, on July 1, 2023. The kin care law, applicable to employers with 25 or more employees, requires employers to allow employees to use their sick leave to care for an immediate family member.