With the approach of national elections, there continues to be a shortage of workers willing to work in polling stations on election day, November 3. The Old Navy clothing chain came to the rescue, offering its 50,000 US employees to pay eight hours of polling work at the rates they received at the company.
This money will be paid in addition to the wages they receive for their work on election day from local election commissions. The company’s statement, released during its National Polling Station Recruitment Day in September, also encouraged shoppers to work at polling stations on election day. “We believe our offering provides a new and unique opportunity for our store employees across the country to become more involved in the democratic process without sacrificing pay for a day’s absence from work,” a company spokesman said.
Employees of Old Navy stores will be paid for election day, regardless of whether they were supposed to work on that day or not, and employees of the company’s administrative apparatus who decide to work at polling stations will not need to take paid time off for this. The company also offers three hours of paid time to those of its employees who do not plan to work at the polling station so that they can vote.
“In an election year that is expected to have a record voter turnout, Old Navy is joining with other organizations in a nationwide movement to recruit 250,000 new polling station workers to be effective across the country on election day,” the press said. company release.