So I told one of my managers yesterday that I would be needing time of work this Tuesday to go and vote because I didn’t realize I was scheduled for a long shift and won’t be off before the polls close.
She then proceeds to ask me why I couldn’t early vote.
I tell her that I guess I could have but I didn’t and the option was now closed and my next and last chance is Tuesday.
Cue her giving me a hard time for not early voting.
I politely tell her that I didn’t so I’ll be requiring time off on Tuesday.
Her response?
“I mean we’ll try to get you out.”
Umm no.
I say - “Legally the law requires that you allow me time off work to go vote.”
Her response?
“Yes, I mean legally it does.”
Yes bitch, legally! As in the law! As in it is my right!
So whatever, I leave her office with a bad taste in my mouth and run into a coworker (who’s worked there as long as I’ve been alive), and I tell her about what happened.
She goes OFF, tells me I better make sure they let me go vote Tuesday and that if they try to fight me on it to tell them to look in their files for the law that she printed off for them years ago stating my right to do so.
So she leaves and I feel a bit better but just for shits and giggles I decide to look up the law for Tennessee voting rights (I knew it was a law that they have to let you off but I didn’t know the exact parameters.)
You know what Tennessee law says?
Up to three hours PAID time to go vote, (and my dumb ass was planning on clocking out.)
You best believe that if someone tries to argue with me Tuesday I’ll be slapping down a copy of that law and my ACLU membership card, I’m pretty sure they don’t want to be hearing from those lawyers.
And just an FYI: most states require you to let your employer know that you’ll be taking time off to vote the day before you plan on doing it