On the polling day of the election, Saturday 20th September 2014, an Employer is obliged to allow all their Employees who are electors and who have not had a reasonable opportunity to vote on Election Day before starting work, to leave her or his work for the purpose of voting no later than 3pm for the remainder of the day. An Employer cannot make deductions from the Employee’s remuneration for the time taken off.
However, where any Employee is required to work after 3 o’clock in the afternoon of polling day for the purpose of carrying on any essential work or service, employer is obliged to allow the Employee to leave his or her work for a reasonable time not exceeding 2 hours for the purpose of voting. Again an Employer cannot make any deduction from any remuneration payable to the Employee in respect of any time off taken to vote.
Essential Services
The production, processing, or supply of manufactured gas or natural gas petroleum electricity milk products, supply of water, disposal of sewage, servicing ships at a port.
The operation of any of the following:
- a service for the carriage of passengers or goods by water between the North Island and the South Island or between the South Island and Stewart Island;
- fire brigade;
- an air transport service, being a service by aircraft for the public carriage of passengers;
- an ambulance service for sick or injured persons;
- a hospital care institution;
- road service necessary for the operation of such an institution;
- a residential welfare institution or prison;
- the provision of Police emergency response.