New York State has revised its election law to allow employees time off to vote. The new law requires employers to allow an employee as much time as they need to vote and to pay them for two hours during their work day (two hours at the beginning or two hours at the end of the work day) to vote. 
 
The Cooper Union wants to remove all barriers to encourage staff members to vote. Therefore, on November 3, 2020, the College will allow for up to four hours of paid time off recognizing that polling lines and therefore the time it takes to cast a vote may be longer than in the past.  
 
If a staff member is going to take time off to vote, the College asks that the employee inform their immediate manager. We also recognize that an employee may not be able to anticipate the amount of time it will take to vote at their polling location. We ask that the employee communicate with their immediate manager if the time that they had originally planned to be away from their work space will be extended due to long lines at the polls.  
 
In a democracy our right to vote is fundamental. It is both a right and a privilege. Voting is our voice in the process of how our country is led. We encourage all members of the Cooper Union Community to vote.