COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL ACT 1918 - SECT 345 Employers to allow employees leave of absence to vote

COMMONWEALTH ELECTORAL ACT 1918 - SECT 345

  (1)   If an employee who is an elector notifies his or her employer before the polling day that the employee desires leave of absence for the purpose of voting at any election, the employer shall, if the absence desired is necessary to enable the employee to vote at the election, allow the employee leave of absence without any penalty or disproportionate deduction of pay for such reasonable period not exceeding 2 hours as is necessary to enable the employee to vote at the election.

  (2)   No employee shall under pretence that he or she intends to vote at the election, but without the bona fide intention of doing so, obtain leave of absence under this section.

  (3)   This section shall not apply to any elector whose absence may cause danger or substantial loss in respect of the employment in which he or she is engaged.

Penalty:

  (a)   if the offender is a natural person--5 penalty units; or

  (b)   if the offender is a body corporate--25 penalty units.