H.R. 4908 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the House, sent to the Committee on Education and Workforce, Aug 5, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryRequires employers to give paid voting time
This bill would require employers to give employees at least two consecutive hours of paid time off on federal election days if they ask for it. The employee can use those hours to vote, drop off a mail-in ballot, or handle other voting-related tasks. The employer gets to pick which two-hour window during the day the employee takes off, and it can't include their regular lunch break.
How it affects you
If you're an employee, you'd have the right to take paid time off to vote on federal election days without losing benefits or facing any punishment from your employer. If you're an employer, you'd need to allow this time off when employees request it, and the law would set penalties for not following these rules.
Read the official summary (Introduced in House, Aug 5, 2025)
Time Off to Vote Act
This bill requires an employer, upon the request of an employee, to provide the employee with a minimum of two consecutive hours of paid leave while polls or sites that facilitate voting-related activity are open on the day of a federal election. This allotted time may be used to vote, return a mail-in ballot, or perform other voting-related activities.
The employer may determine the two-hour period, excluding any lunch break or other break.
Taking such leave shall not result in the employee losing accrued employment benefits.
The bill makes it unlawful for an employer to interfere with the right to take such leave or for an employer to discriminate against an employee for taking such leave. Further, the bill makes it unlawful for any employer to retaliate against an employee for (1) opposing any practice made unlawful by this bill; (2) filing a charge, or instituting or causing to be instituted any proceeding, under or related to this bill; or (3) testifying or preparing to testify in an inquiry or proceeding relating to such leave.
The bill specifies penalties for employers who violate these provisions.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionH. R. 4908
A BILL
Time Off to Vote Act
Sponsor: Rep. Nikema Williams (D-GA-5) · Introduced Aug 5, 2025 · Government Operations and Politics · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Aug 5, 2025: “Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.”