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Managing Voting Time Off: What Hotel Employers Need to Know
April 8, 2025

Managing Voting Time Off: What Hotel Employers Need to Know

With the Federal election approaching, employers in the hospitality industry should be aware of their legal obligations to provide employees with time off to vote. Make sure your team has the opportunity to participate in this important event — it's not only about compliance, but also supporting your workforce.
 
  • Employees must have three consecutive hours of time off while polls are open to vote. 
  • If an employee’s work schedule does not allow for the three consecutive hours, the employer must provide extra time off. The employer has the discretion to determine when the employee will be granted time off, whether on one of the advance voting days or on Election Day itself.
  • When the extra hours are provided by the employer, the time given must be paid, and no penalty should be imposed on the employee for taking time off.
  • The extra time off is for voting only.
  • Voting hours in Alberta are from 7:30 AM – 7:30 PM 
 
Example scenarios: 
 
Employee works all 5 days of advance voting and must work from 9:00 AM and 5:00 pm on Election Day. 
  • This employee has 1.5 hours before their shift and 2.5 hours after their shift to vote (Does not meet 3 consecutive hour rule) 
  • Their employer can choose to start the employee's shift 1.5 hours later (10:30 AM start) or end their shift early at 4:30 PM
 
Employee works 6:00 AM – 2:00 PM
  • This employee has 5.5 hours after their shift to vote.
  • No extra time off is needed.

 

Employee works 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
  • This employee has 3.5 hours before work to vote (7:30 AM – 11:00 AM).
  • No extra time off is needed.
 
Employee works 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
  • This employee only has 2.5 hours before work and 1.5 hours after before polls close.
  • Their employer could choose to:
    • Start the shift 30 minutes later (e.g. 10:30 AM – 6:00 PM) 
    • End the shift 1.5 hours earlier (e.g. 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM)
 
NOTE: Employers have the discretion to determine when the time off is given (i.e., at the beginning, middle, or end of the shift), ensuring minimal disruption to operations. Hotel employers are encouraged to plan ahead, balancing voting leave with the need for seamless operations on Election Day.
 
For employees looking to vote, resources are available to ensure a smooth process. You can find information on how to register, locate polling stations and more HERE.