This Tuesday, November 2, is election day across the country. It is important to note that most states have election laws in place to protect an employee’s right to vote without reprimand from their employer.

As such, Florida law imposes restrictions and penalties against employers to protect employees’ right to vote. Specifically, it is illegal for any employer to interfere with the voting process by threatening to reprimand or fire an employee on the basis of that employee’s vote, or failure to vote, in an election. Any organization or individual interfering with the voting process in violation of Florida law may be subject to severe penalties, including felony criminal prosecution.

Florida law says that an employee must not be reprimanded or fired for his or her participation in the election process. As a result, if you are contemplating a decision to reprimand or fire an employee and that decision might appear to interfere with voting rights in violation of Florida law, it is imperative that you proceed with extreme caution and consult with an attorney beforehand.

Even though the penalties for interfering with an employees right to vote are severe, employers are not required to go to extreme lengths to enable its employees to vote. For instance, Florida law does not require that employers provide employees with paid time off to vote.

Got questions?

Call or email the Gunster Employment Group through Cheryl St. George at: 561-804-4367 or [email protected]