Time Off to Vote Act
- Bill Number
- S. 2549
- Origin Chamber
- Senate
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 1
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2025-07-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- Last Updated
- 2026-03-31T16:37:00Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation establishes a federal requirement for employers to grant employees a minimum of 2 consecutive hours of paid leave on days when Federal elections are held, enabling voting, returning mail ballots in person, or engaging in other voting-related activities.
Key Provisions
- Employers must provide the leave upon employee request while polls or voting sites are open.
- Employers may designate the specific 2-hour window, including during early voting periods under state law, and lunch or other breaks cannot count toward the required period.
- Employees retain all previously accrued employment benefits during the leave.
- The bill prohibits employer interference with leave rights, retaliation for exercising those rights, or discrimination against employees who oppose violations or participate in related proceedings.
- The Secretary of Labor receives investigative authority modeled on the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 and may assess civil penalties up to $10,000 per violation, considering factors such as business size, violation severity, employer good faith, and prior violations.
- The requirement applies only to employers with 25 or more employees engaged in commerce.
- The Act does not override more generous state or local voting leave laws.
- It takes effect with the first Federal election after enactment.
Significant Changes to Existing Law This bill creates a new nationwide mandate for paid voting leave in Federal elections, extending beyond the current patchwork of state laws. It incorporates enforcement mechanisms and definitions drawn from the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Family and Medical Leave Act but does not amend those statutes directly.
Potential Impacts
- Citizens: Employees gain guaranteed paid time off to participate in Federal elections without wage loss.
- Government Agencies: The Department of Labor gains new investigative and penalty authority, increasing its role in labor compliance related to elections.
- Employers: Businesses with 25 or more employees face administrative and potential financial obligations, with penalties for noncompliance.
- No direct effects on international relations are specified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Employees covered under the Fair Labor Standards Act definition.
- Employers with 25 or more employees.
- The Secretary of Labor and Department of Labor for enforcement.
- State and local election officials indirectly, as the law interacts with existing voting procedures.
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The bill relies on Congress’s commerce power and references existing labor statutes for definitions and procedures. It preserves state authority to provide greater benefits, avoiding preemption issues. Enforcement occurs through civil penalties rather than private lawsuits, and the two-hour minimum applies uniformly to Federal elections regardless of state variations in voting access.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Cosponsors (17)
Sen. Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT], Sen. Blunt Rochester, Lisa [D-DE], Sen. Booker, Cory A. [D-NJ], Sen. Coons, Christopher A. [D-DE], Sen. Durbin, Richard J. [D-IL], Sen. Gallego, Ruben [D-AZ], Sen. Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY], Sen. Kaine, Tim [D-VA], Sen. Merkley, Jeff [D-OR], Sen. Padilla, Alex [D-CA], Sen. Reed, Jack [D-RI], Sen. Schiff, Adam B. [D-CA], Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD], Sen. Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA], Sen. Welch, Peter [D-VT], Sen. Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI], Sen. Wyden, Ron [D-OR]
Recent Actions
- 2025-07-30: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
- 2025-07-30: Introduced in Senate
Bill Versions
- Time Off to Vote Act — issued 2025-07-30 — PDF (5 pages)