Under legislation signed last month by Gov. J.B. Pritzker, the University of Illinois System will observe a state holiday on this year’s Election Day, November 3, 2020.
The holiday declaration and other new initiatives such as expansion of mail-in voting are intended to enhance opportunities to vote and to promote voter safety during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
While eligible faculty and staff will receive paid holiday time on Election Day, the University of Illinois System never fully closes and essential operations will continue. Holiday usage and pay policies will apply, as they do for other designated holidays.
Employees who are required to work also may be eligible for paid time off to vote under General Election voting leave policies. State law grants eligible employees up to two hours of paid leave for the purpose of voting in a general election if their working hours on Election Day begin less than two hours after polls open and end less than two hours before polls close. Eligible employees should work with their supervisors ahead of time to schedule a time to vote when unit operations allow.
Please direct any questions to your human resources office:
