CAVA gives workers paid time off to vote
CAVA in USC Village made sure employees had access to early voting, registration, polling hours and locations and can take a break from their shifts. (Sinead Chang | Daily Trojan)
One question that arises every election cycle is “How will workers have time to go to polls during work hours?” To address that concern, Mediterranean eatery CAVA is allowing its employees to take paid time off to cast their ballots.
The new policy applies to all CAVA restaurants nationwide. Cindy Cornelio, a supervisor at the CAVA located at USC Village, said that the policy gives employees time to “use their voice.”
To ensure shifts can be moved around and extra employees can be called in time, participants requested for time off two weeks in advance.
“Let’s say you’re working 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. …. and the polls close around 7 [or] 7:30 p.m.,” Cornelio said. “That person — if they requested the time off to be able to go vote — [has] two hours to go vote.”
USC Village CAVA’s general manager Brenda Yanez said employees were informed of the policy through an online module all workers are required to complete.
“[The class is] basically a disclaimer,” Yanez said. “It lets us know what the policy is and how much time and how to actually follow up with the employees that are going to be participating.”
Yanez said CAVA also made information on early voting, registration, polling hours and locations accessible to its staff.
“Everything that goes on with the company is communicated through what we call CAVA U,” Yanez said. “It’s available to all employees online. They can do it [in] their free time, while they’re at work. Any resources that they need [are] always available on CAVA U.”
Martin Renteria, who works at the USC Village CAVA, said many of the employees at USC have been particularly interested in Proposition 10, which would repeal a state law that restricts rent control policies.
“That’s definitely one thing that everybody’s talking about,” Renteria said. “It’s a pretty hot issue.”
Renteria, who plans to use his paid time to vote Tuesday morning, said he is excited go to the polls.
“I don’t think there’s ever been a time, at least that I can remember, where people were more excited to vote — or ready to vote,” Renteria said.
Yanez said that at least 10 employees will be using paid time to vote, including herself. She said the policy is good for employees at the USC location.
“We are a growing company and I think that it shows that we are actively participating within the community,” Yanez said.