Employers, employees reminded about laws governing the voting process

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Employers are being reminded to follow the law as it relates to granting time to their workers to vote – as the country conducts its very first referendum today to determine whether to stay with the Privy Council or move to the Caribbean Court of Justice as the final appellate court.
The reminder comes from the deputy general secretary of the Antigua and Barbuda Workers Union (ABWU), Chester Hughes.
“We want to encourage employers to organise scheduling so that workers are not denied their right to vote,” Hughes said.
He is also asking workers to be reasonable with the time given.
According to section 34 of the Representation of the People Amendment Act 2001, “Every employer shall, on polling day, allow every voter a period of four 
consecutive hours for voting and no employer shall 
make any deduction from the pay or other remuneration of any such voter or impose upon or exact from him any penalty by reason of his absence during such period.”
It further states: “Any employer who, directly or indirectly refuses or by intimidation, undue influence or in any way, interferes with the granting to any voter in his employ of such period of voting, as this section provided, shall be guilty of an offence, and on summary conviction liable to a fine not exceeding three thousand dollars, or to imprisonment not exceeding twelve months.”
The polls begin at 6 a.m. and end at 6 p.m.

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