Time Off Work and the 2025 Ontario Provincial Election
The 44th Ontario General Election is currently underway. Election day is Thursday, February 27th with advance voting taking place from February 20-22. You can find more information about voting options via Elections Ontario’s Website.
Provincial elections in Ontario are governed by the Elections Act. Most relevant for workers and employers is section 6 (re. “Employees Serving or Voting at an Election”). This provision provides the following election rights and obligations related to the workplace:
eligible employees must have three consecutive hours off work during voting hours (which are 9:00am to 9:00pm Eastern Standard Time; 8:00am to 8:00pm Central Time) on election day;
to be considered an “eligible employee”, you must be a Canadian citizen, resident in Ontario, and be at least 18 years old as of February 27, 2025;
if, due to your working hours on February 27th, you already have three consecutive hours off work during voting hours, your employer is not required to provide any additional time off. As a practical example, you would not be entitled to time off if you work from 9:00am to 5:00pm on February 27th, as this would still allow you a three-hour consecutive period after 5pm during which you could attend at a polling station;
if time off is required to vote in the election, workers must receive their regular pay for the hours taken off work to vote;
for employees acting as a returning officer or poll official, you are entitled to an unpaid leave to fulfill your election duties. To access this unpaid leave, returning officers and poll officials must request an election leave from their employers at least seven days in advance of when the leave is intended to commence; and
employers cannot impose any penalties against employees for exercising their leave obligations to either work in, or vote, during the election.
For employers that will be required to grant paid time off for their employees to vote on election day, keep in mind that the Elections Act allows you to arrange matters at “the time of day that best suits the convenience of the employer.” It is therefore advisable to consider operational requirements in advance of election day and provide time off in a manner that will minimize any anticipated disruption to your organization.
Additional Resources:
Ontario’s Election Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. E.6
Election Ontario’s Voting Guide
Guidance for Canadian Armed Forces Members on how to Vote in the Ontario Election
Vey Willetts LLP is an Ottawa-based employment and labour law boutique that provides timely and cost-effective legal advice to help employees and employers resolve workplace issues in the National Capital Region and across Ontario. To speak with an lawyer, contact us at: 613-238-4430 or info@vwlawyers.ca.