Apple employees granted paid time off to vote in US election

Posted:
in General Discussion edited July 2020
Apple is offering retail and hourly employees time off to vote in the U.S. election in November, according to a report on Friday.




Apple SVP of retail and staff Deidre O'Brien announced the policy in a memo circulated this week, reports Bloomberg.

"For retail team members and hourly workers across the company, if you're scheduled to work this Election Day, we'll be providing up to four hours of paid time off if you need it to get to the polls," O'Brien said. "If they choose, our teams can also use this time to volunteer as an election worker at one of your local polling stations."

The company is allowing up to four hours of paid leave on Election Day, which falls on Nov. 3.

Apple joins a number of major tech companies including Lyft, Twitter and Uber to offer employees time off to vote. Like previous election seasons, big firms from a variety of U.S. industries are allowing workers to take time off to cast their ballots.
dysamoria
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 21
    XedXed Posts: 2,547member
    This is great, but it shouldn't be up to companies to allow time off for voting. It's unfortunate that even 4 hours isn't enough time with how corrupt politicians have gerrymandered and hindered certain voting districts to limit voters who may vote against them.
    rob53lightvox88dewmeRayz2016davenviclauyycDAalsethdysamoriaStrangeDaysindieshack
  • Reply 2 of 21
    felix01felix01 Posts: 294member
    Paid time off to vote has been in place at all five organizations I’ve worked at since grad school. I’m amazed this is something new (and now newsworthy) for the most valuable public company in the world.  
    Ofer
  • Reply 3 of 21
    Felix01 said:
    Paid time off to vote has been in place at all five organizations I’ve worked at since grad school. I’m amazed this is something new (and now newsworthy) for the most valuable public company in the world.  
    ====

    You don't know that it is new.
  • Reply 4 of 21
    felix01felix01 Posts: 294member
    Felix01 said:
    You don't know that it is new.
    Read the link to the Apple statement. Certainly looks new to me.
  • Reply 5 of 21
    9secondkox29secondkox2 Posts: 2,710member
    Everyone should be given paid time off for the most important civic duty in a country that provides the freedom for our voices to be heard - as well as the freedoms for our workplaces to exist and operate the way they do. 

    Such freedoms are always in danger from those who think there know Brest for everyone. 

    Vote! 


    felix01dewmenapoleon_phoneapartOferandrewj5790dysamoriaStrangeDaysjony0
  • Reply 6 of 21
    paxmanpaxman Posts: 4,729member
    Not only should voting be paid time off, it should be obligatory. It is a small price to pay for a functioning democracy. That the US laughably referred to as 'land of the free' by some of its inhabitants can't manage to stage open and fair elections in 2020 is incredible. No other democracy as far as I know struggle with this. It is the absolute fundamental basis of democracy. 
    Oferdysamoriadewme
  • Reply 7 of 21
    ronnronn Posts: 653member
    Election day should be a National holiday to ensure that everyone can vote. Especially as other posters have said, so many places make it so difficult to vote. I can only imagine what Election Day will look like this year with the COVID-19 pandemic.

    Since Apple is headquartered in California, it's important to know that the state already mandates up to two (2) hours of paid time to vote, with as much time as needed for workers to vote.

    For information on your state, check out the link below:

    What is the law in my state?
    https://www.workplacefairness.org/voting-rights-time-off-work
    [Deleted User]lightvox88Rayz2016napoleon_phoneapartOferdysamoriaGeorgeBMacforegoneconclusion
  • Reply 8 of 21
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,336member
    Paid time off to vote by absentee ballot?  LOL.  Seems like that's what everyone is pushing for in the US, so I don't see how the paid time off really helps one to cast an easier vote.
  • Reply 9 of 21
    ronnronn Posts: 653member
    jdw said:
    Paid time off to vote by absentee ballot?  LOL.  Seems like that's what everyone is pushing for in the US, so I don't see how the paid time off really helps one to cast an easier vote.

    =======

    Many voters will not be able to use absentee ballots. Some states will insist on standard voting procedures, others will not relax absentee ballot requirements and many voters don't trust absentee ballots (see Kentucky as one example with about 20% in-person voting, a large number of rejected absentee ballots, many voters not getting absentee ballots in time, and voters currently suing to be able to cast absentee ballots in November like they were able to for the primaries.)

    davenOferdysamoria
  • Reply 10 of 21
    robabarobaba Posts: 228member
    jdw said:
    Paid time off to vote by absentee ballot?  LOL.  Seems like that's what everyone is pushing for in the US, so I don't see how the paid time off really helps one to cast an easier vote.
    I vote by mail—it’s the only way TO vote in Washington State and has been for years.  I also think this is the best, most secure form of voting currently available.  But most states do not have this system, and to lol at gerrymandering is not a good look my friend.
    davenOfercommentzilladysamoriaStrangeDaysronndewmejony0
  • Reply 11 of 21
    Xed said:
    This is great, but it shouldn't be up to companies to allow time off for voting. It's unfortunate that even 4 hours isn't enough time with how corrupt politicians have gerrymandered and hindered certain voting districts to limit voters who may vote against them.

    Yes. They know their only chance of winning at this point is preventing people from voting.
    felix01 said:
    Felix01 said:
    You don't know that it is new.
    Read the link to the Apple statement. Certainly looks new to me.

    I think it's unusual, and very pioneering for employees that are paid hourly. Yes, as a salaried employee, voting was always encouraged, and all my bosses were very flexible in providing the time that was necessary to do so.
  • Reply 12 of 21
    fred1fred1 Posts: 1,112member
    ronn said:
    Election day should be a National holiday to ensure that everyone can vote. Especially as other posters have said, so many places make it so difficult to vote. I can only imagine what Election Day will look like this year with the COVID-19 pandemic.

    It’s crazy that elections in the US are always held on a weekday. The vast majority of other countries hold elections on Sunday. Or, as you say, it should be a holiday. 
    dysamoriaronnGeorgeBMacretrogustodewmejony0
  • Reply 13 of 21
    dysamoriadysamoria Posts: 3,430member

    jdw said:
    Paid time off to vote by absentee ballot?  LOL.  Seems like that's what everyone is pushing for in the US, so I don't see how the paid time off really helps one to cast an easier vote.
    Then maybe you should educate yourself about it instead of acting like it’s a joke. There are still plenty of places that aren’t offering the option to vote by mail, where polling places are shut down, where people have to wait in line all day long just to do their civic duty of voting.
    StrangeDaysronnGeorgeBMacdewme
  • Reply 14 of 21
    jdwjdw Posts: 1,336member
    dysamoria said:
    jdw said:
    Paid time off to vote by absentee ballot?  LOL.  Seems like that's what everyone is pushing for in the US, so I don't see how the paid time off really helps one to cast an easier vote.
    Then maybe you should educate yourself about it instead of acting like it’s a joke. There are still plenty of places that aren’t offering the option to vote by mail, where polling places are shut down, where people have to wait in line all day long just to do their civic duty of voting.
    No, that’s okay. Looks like you’re doing a great job of educating me, along with others here. I have achieved my aim.

    I vote by fax as an American living outside the USA. Never had a problem. I assume my votes are properly counted, although my libertarian-leaning conservative votes don’t have much impact on a Blue CA ballot. I vote nonetheless.

    I hope people can vote by the internet one day, having their SSN, drivers license, etc. verified by computer to ensure my vote can only be cast one time. The more convenient voting is, the more people will do it. If more Americans would vote, I think fraud and errors would become little more than statistical anomalies that have no impact.

     I also think a write in space should be provided for every office. I wrote “no confidence” in the blank for President in 2016 and am still to this day proud I could vote that way with a clear conscience. I say this as someone who isn’t staunchly against or for our current President. I try to view all his words with an open mind, even at times that is difficult (e.g., the “I wish her well” quip in recent news when commenting on Epstein’s lady friend).

    P.S. Posting in this forum on an iPhone is hell. My request for the Desktop version is ignored in mobile Safari and the AI app is no better, so it’s impossible for me to get rid of this silly quoting. This forum needs to be more mobile friendly!
    edited July 2020
  • Reply 15 of 21
    TomETomE Posts: 172member
    Time off for Voting at the Polls has been quite common in large companies for many decades.  It almost goes without saying.  Time off to Vote absentee is not really fair, but the minority claims it is unfair to give it to one without giving it to all.  Hardly news worthy for Apple Insider.

    Waiting in line is not common in the "backward communities" of the South.  We have had automation for longer than I can remember.  Why the big places cannot automate better is beyond me.  There are many things we are ahead of big cities.  

    We have almost instant drive up free virus testing in Health Departments.  Some had the foresight to build permanent outside shelters a long time ago.  

    What we all need to do it to track politicians at all levels on their promises and call them out when they don't produce.  Note, I did not say protest in a violent manner.  People who steal from insurance companies and less educated people need to be exposed for what they are - white collar thieves.  We would find out there are many liars in politics, as well as medicine, etc.

    I would rather see people who make promises exposed than be given 4 hours to vote when we have early voting in most elections.  The machines are locked up , guarded and both parties are allowed poll watchers to report errors.  There is no valid reason for polls to be jammed on Election Day.  If I don't know prior to Election Day who I want to vote for, I probably should not be voting on that line of the ballot.

    Yes, even unqualified people vote - even those who cannot read or understand what is on the ballot. Never the less, if they are registered to vote, they are entitled to vote.  Illegals are not citizens and should not vote.  Any one who is a registered voter should not mind showing a proper Government Photo ID to validate who they are.  I guess I don't understand the problems in big cities.

    People seem to want paid time off to do everything .  That is what personal leave is for - it is personal.  
    jdw
  • Reply 16 of 21
    entropysentropys Posts: 4,166member
    Why not have voting days on the weekend? When most people aren’t working?
    GeorgeBMacronn
  • Reply 17 of 21
    indieshackindieshack Posts: 328member
    Giving employees PTO to vote is commendable - I prefer to postal vote here in CA, mostly to save time.

     Whomever you vote for - please do take the time to vote - it’s an important right to exercise that people have fought for.
    jdwronn
  • Reply 18 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    American democracy is and has been under attack for years now:
    --  Russian disinformation campaigns
    --  Russian hacking campaigns
    --  Russian intrusions into voting systems
    --  Voter suppression efforts to block or discourage minorities and others from casting a vote
    --  Closing polling places in minority areas to make it harder to get to and then longer to wait
    ....  And then we get to computerized gerrymandering where, even if you do get to vote, the vote is meaningless because your district has been gerrymandered to insure that only one party can ever win.

    It will take more than a few hours of paid leave to restore America to a democracy....
    But, weirdly, it is those most outraged at dictatorships in other countries who support the demise of democracy here in the U.S.
    dewmeronn
  • Reply 19 of 21
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,727member
    American democracy is and has been under attack for years now:
    --  Russian disinformation campaigns
    --  Russian hacking campaigns
    --  Russian intrusions into voting systems
    --  Voter suppression efforts to block or discourage minorities and others from casting a vote
    --  Closing polling places in minority areas to make it harder to get to and then longer to wait
    ....  And then we get to computerized gerrymandering where, even if you do get to vote, the vote is meaningless because your district has been gerrymandered to insure that only one party can ever win.

    It will take more than a few hours of paid leave to restore America to a democracy....
    But, weirdly, it is those most outraged at dictatorships in other countries who support the demise of democracy here in the U.S.
    The USA is stuck in 1776 when 'a larger area' had relevance. It is a shame the USA cannot be a Democracy these days and the popular vote actually count.

    'A republicMadison writes, is different from a democracy because its government is placed in the hands of delegates, and, as a result of this, it can be extended over a larger area. The idea is that, in a large republic, there will be more "fit characters" to choose from for each delegate.'
    jony0
  • Reply 20 of 21
    GeorgeBMacGeorgeBMac Posts: 11,421member
    MacPro said:
    American democracy is and has been under attack for years now:
    --  Russian disinformation campaigns
    --  Russian hacking campaigns
    --  Russian intrusions into voting systems
    --  Voter suppression efforts to block or discourage minorities and others from casting a vote
    --  Closing polling places in minority areas to make it harder to get to and then longer to wait
    ....  And then we get to computerized gerrymandering where, even if you do get to vote, the vote is meaningless because your district has been gerrymandered to insure that only one party can ever win.

    It will take more than a few hours of paid leave to restore America to a democracy....
    But, weirdly, it is those most outraged at dictatorships in other countries who support the demise of democracy here in the U.S.
    The USA is stuck in 1776 when 'a larger area' had relevance. It is a shame the USA cannot be a Democracy these days and the popular vote actually count.

    'A republicMadison writes, is different from a democracy because its government is placed in the hands of delegates, and, as a result of this, it can be extended over a larger area. The idea is that, in a large republic, there will be more "fit characters" to choose from for each delegate.'

    Yeh, the "Republic" thing is a common -- although nonsensical -- retort by right wingers.
    The truth is:   those delegates are to be duly elected, honestly and fairly.   When one side cheats to load up on their delegates it is neither a democracy nor a republic.
    jony0
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