The Ministry of Labour has requested all private-sector employers to grant leave to their employees based on the distance to their polling stations, allowing them to cast their votes in the 2024 General Election, which will take place tomorrow.
S. Aloka Bandara, Secretary to the Ministry of Labour, stated that both the National Election Commission and the Ministry of Labour had previously communicated this requirement.
According to the guidelines:
- Employees whose polling stations are within 40 kilometers of their workplace should be granted half a day’s leave.
- Employees with polling stations between 40 and 100 kilometers away should be given a full day’s leave.
- If the polling station is between 100 and 150 kilometers from the workplace, one and a half days of leave should be provided.
- For distances exceeding 150 kilometers, two days of leave should be granted.
The Ministry Secretary further emphasized that these leaves should be provided without affecting employees’ salaries or their entitlement to personal leave.
