Is it legal for my boss to do this?

[Toots]

He said he will give $20. cash to every employee who comes to work wearing an "I Voted" sticker. He says he doesn't care who you vote for just go vote. He also said we can do it on Company time. I think it is really a cool thing to do but someone told me it could be illegal. :shrug:

[Dookus]

1. hrmm...

I think it's sketchy. Nice of him to offer, though, but inducements to vote are either outright illegal, or on the edge.

[Rowdyboy]

2. Why on earth would anyone complain?

If there's no pressure to vote any particular way. Unless the personal complaining is just out to be a troublemaker.

[rbugzy]

24. yes

Take the $20

[Heyo]

3. If he's not telling you to vote for a specific candidate...

... than it sounds like a free Jackson for something I'd be doing anyway.

Get a nice lunch that day.

Heyo

[fear the donkey]

4. Tell Him To Keep The Money...

...the fact that you can use company time to vote is actually really cool of him.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

5. If he doesn't tell you who to vote for,

I think it is legal. The League of Women Voters encourage voting, and are considered non-partisaon. I've never gotten into any trouble at any job I've had by simply urging people to go vote. I know I've scheduled time for the techs in my pest control company to go vote on Tuesday, and wrote up a flyer reminding them to bring photo id and encouraging them to vote early. (FYI, my pest control company isn't a DeLay type one-as far as I know, we're 100% Democratic!)

[demosincebirth]

12. Right. its ok

[Selwynn]

19. No, it isn't. The cash reward part isn't. See below.

[B Calm]

6. Take the money!

[Fear]

7. What if someone can't vote (green-card holder)

still where's the button - will he / she get the $20 as well????? :D

[kranich]

8. Take teh 20

and make a donation to the Kerry victory party fund.

[NoPasaran]

9. Your state's laws may be different

But in Texas it is illegal to give someone anything of value in return for voting.

But as long as he's not telling you how to vote, I wouldn't be in any hurry to call 911.

[mourningdove92]

10. We were informed by our HR department here in Texas

that we have to let emloyees off to vote and we also pay them while they are off the clock.
I encouraged my team to do the early voting thing.

[kayell]

11. Pretty sure it is, and rather nice also. Since by now everyone who will

vote is already registered, he isn't encouraging people to vote just for the hell of it, but encouraging civic responsibility. He just has to be careful not to inject his own political views into the discussion, and it sounds like he is being non-partisan in encouraging voting.

Businesses and restaurants sometimes give people a discount who are wearing a I Voted sticker on election day. This would probably be similar.

[DebinTx]

13. Sounds like a decent employer

since he's encouraging voting but doesn't care who you're voting for. So many employers today are using their positions to try and sway their employees' votes.
Like the other posters above said, go vote and have a nice lunch. In fact, take it a step further, since your boss has been so nice and bipartisan, maybe go to lunch as a group.

[gulliver]

14. Hell, if that is legal I'll just go to the most Democratic ...

... places I know and start waving around $20 bills to anyone who will "vote as they see fit." I'd spend a grand to get 50 votes for the Dems. It would be a _lot_ easier and more effective than canvassing and phone banking.

Your boss is a slimer if he knows his company is predominantly Republican.

There has to be something illegal about this.

[DuaneBidoux]

15. I don't know if it's legal but can you tell me where I can

get that jobs created chart at the bottom of your post. It's great.

As far as the thing at work, I suspect it is only illegal when he actually pays someone to vote for someone specific. On the other hand, he may "know" who most will vote for and then it becomes suspect.

Don't forget my original request...i would love to have that chart.

[Toots]

17. It's yours for the taking

Just right click on it and go to properties. Highlight the URL and copy. Or you can just save the pict to a file on your computer. I hope you make flyers out of it and distribute freely.

[isrealpackard]

16. As to the time off...

He may be required to let you off. In Missouri:


Chapter 115
Election Authorities and Conduct of Elections
Section 115.639

August 28, 2003


Three hours off work to vote--interference by employer a class four offense.

115.639. 1. Any person entitled to vote at any election held within this state shall, on the day of such election, be entitled to absent himself from any services or employment in which he is then engaged or employed, for a period of three hours between the time of opening and the time of closing the polls for the purpose of voting, and any such absence for such purpose shall not be reason for the discharge of or the threat to discharge any such person from such services or employment; and such employee, if he votes, shall not, because of so absenting himself, be liable to any penalty or discipline, nor shall any deduction be made on account of such absence from his usual salary or wages; provided, however, that request shall be made for such leave of absence prior to the day of election, and provided further, that this section shall not apply to a voter on the day of election if there are three successive hours while the polls are open in which he is not in the service of his employer. The employer may specify any three hours between the time of opening and the time of closing the polls during which such employee may absent himself.

[Selwynn]

18. It would be a illegal for several different reasons:

1. discrimination - where I work, there are many non-US citizens authorized for work in the US, and it would be discriminating to them to create a rewards program in which they cannot participate based on that status.

2. discrimination2 - someone could, if they so chose, make a dissemination case that not voting is their personal choice and right that has nothing to do with work, and they can't legally be penalized for making a personal choice. A program that provides business incentives to make one personal choice over the other crosses that line into discrimination territory. In this case it would be like a boss promising a bonus or a promotion to people who registered republican or signed a pro-life petition, etc. You can't do that.

Probably not something that would be a big deal, but still - technically you can as a boss make policies that unequally reward and discriminate rewards between employees based on non-work related factors, such as whether a person votes or not. That is illegal.

[leftofthedial]

20. I think it is only illegal if voting a particular way

is a requirement.

but I'm no lawyer.

[GodHelpUsAll2]

21. It's perfectly ok

Lots of employers give their employees time off to vote public and private companies alike. My company is holding a big "get out and vote" lunch for all of our employees and customers. We are not saying WHO to vote for just to go and vote. I'm in HR, we checked it out. It is perfectly ok.

[napi21]

22. Sounds perfectly legal to me! Trouble occurrs when you buy

votes...bribe people to vote for a particular candidate.

[freeplessinseattle]

23. sounds like easy money, but what if you absenteed? (nt)

[TankLV]

25. I don't know what the laws in YOUR locality are, but in Hawaii and Nevada

employeers are FORCED to give employees up to 4 HOURS OF PAID TIME OFF TO VOTE DURING THE DAY. IT'S THE LAW. No excuses.

They can't pull the "vote before or after working hours" crap.

I thought it was a NATIONAL law.

[Peter1x9]

26. It should be a national law. (nt)

[getoffmytrain]

27. There's always

an asshole complainer in every group isn't there...

Jeez... the boss could be making people work 12 hour days without air conditioning.