Old Navy will pay store employees to serve as poll workers on Election Day
LOS ANGELES - On Tuesday, which was also National Poll Worker Recruitment Day, Old Navy announced that it will pay its store employees to work the polls on Election Day.
The clothing retailer said it will tap into its service-minded associate base with 50,000 field employees in more than 1,000 store locations in the U.S., encouraging them to apply to serve in their communities.
Old Navy will compensate store associates who serve as poll workers with eight hours of pay, regardless if they are scheduled to work on Nov. 3. Employees who serve will also be eligible for compensation by their local jurisdictions.
“Every voice in this country matters and deserves to be heard at the polls, and if we at Old Navy can be even a small part of making that process more accessible to the communities we call home, we are on board,” said Nancy Green, head of Old Navy.
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Old Navy is working in partnership with the Civic Alliance and Power the Polls in a national movement to recruit 250,000 new poll workers to ensure polling sites stay open and operate efficiently on Nov. 3.
Gap Inc., Old Navy’s parent company, announced the news Tuesday, writing in a press release that Old Navy has stood for its commitment to equality, celebrating differences and advocating for every voice.
“Today these values are more important than ever,” Gap Inc. wrote. “With a workforce that mirrors the make-up of America, Old Navy is encouraging its field employees to engage with the democratic process to show that every voice and action counts.”
The fashion brand is one of a growing number of companies that are encouraging their employees to engage in civic service.
Coca-cola is the latest major company to give its employees a day off for the upcoming 2020 presidential election.
Twitter and Apple have also made Nov. 3 a paid day off for their workers.
“Time to Vote,” a movement to encourage companies to offer paid time off on Election Day, launched in February.
“More than 700 companies have now joined Time to Vote” and “commit to giving employees time to vote,” the organization wrote on Aug. 27.
“The need has never been greater for businesses to provide their employees dedicated time off to vote,” said Dan Schulman, president and CEO of PayPal, one of the three companies that founded Time to Vote in 2018. “No American should have to choose between earning a paycheck and voting. Business leaders around the country must step up and do what’s needed to ensure all of their employees will have the opportunity to have their voices heard this November.”