Remember, your Tennessee employees are entitled to take a reasonable period of time off to vote on election day. Tennessee law provides that they may take up to three hours, paid, if the work schedule does not permit them time to vote before or after work.

In Tennessee, the polls are open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.; if the employee's shift starts three or more hours after the polls open or ends three or more hours before the polls close in the county where they vote, you do not have to allow them to take the time off.

And you do not always have to allow the full three hours – for example, if your employee works until 5:30 and doesn't think he or she can make it to the polls by 7:00, you'll need to give the employee the additional time, up to 1 ½ hours, to make it to the polls.

Also, the time must be allowed off only if the employee requests it in advance, and you may specify the hours for the employee to be absent. The employee must make the request by noon on November 5. Give your employees this information ahead of time so they can exercise this invaluable right.

For more information, contact any attorney in the Memphis office of Fisher & Phillips at (901) 526-0431.