In law, any elector who is scheduled to work on Polling Day has the right to have four consecutive hours for the purpose of casting his or her vote during polling hours. Polls will be open on October 9, 2007 from 8:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. (7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m. Labrador time).

According to section 210 of the Elections Act, 1991, an employer is obligated to provide to employees four consecutive hours off from work for the purpose of voting while the polls are open. Employees do not have the right to set which four hours they would prefer to take; as long as four consecutive hours are provided, the employer's obligation is satisfied. This could simply mean that employees are relieved from work early to make it to the polls within four hours of them closing. Employers are not permitted to deduct an employee's pay if time during the regular workday is required to provide time off for voting.

It should be noted that if the regular work hours do not allow for four consecutive hours to be taken when the employee is on duty, the employer must nonetheless allow the extra time necessary within the polling period to grant time for the elector to vote.

For more information please call 1-877-729-5361, or visit www.gov.nl.ca/elections.

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Media contact:
Adrienne Baird
Public Relations Specialist
709-729-2534