MENLO PARK, Calif. — Add Facebook to the growing list of companies offering paid time off to employees who want to work at polling places on Election Day.
The move is aimed at filling the poll worker shortage the country is facing, as older Americans who generally staff election sites are choosing to stay home this year amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Axios first reported Friday that Facebook employees can take extra paid time off to work on Election Day as well as participate in any trainings beforehand.
The social media giant also plans to soon send out messages through its app to users who are 18 or older about how they can sign up to be poll workers in their states. And last month, Facebook announced it’s offering free credits to election authorities to run ads to recruit poll workers.
According to the nonprofit group Civic Alliance, more than 60 of its “member companies,” including Microsoft, Old Navy, Target and Warby Parker, are also encouraging employees and customers to serve as poll workers.
