DockYard Provides Flexibility for Employees to Exercise their Right to Vote in 2020 U.S. Presidential Election
DockYard, a digital product consultancy specializing in user-centered web application design and development, today announced the company has joined Time to Vote, a nonpartisan, business-led initiative established to encourage workers to participate in elections. As part of this coalition, DockYard is offering all employees paid time off on November 3, 2020 to support them in enacting change by voting in the 2020 United States Presidential Election.
Only 56% of the U.S. voting-age population cast ballots in the 2016 presidential election–a significantly lower turnout compared to most developed countries, according to a Pew Research Center survey. One of the most common reasons people give for not voting is that they’re too busy with the demands of work and life, according to Time to Vote. Launched in the summer of 2018 by Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia and PayPal, Time to Vote was established to address this barrier and increase voter participation. Time to Vote has reignited its efforts to engage even more employers in lead-up to the 2020 election.
By closing the office on Election Day, DockYard hopes employees will exercise their right to vote and/or support others in participating in the election.
“We believe every voice deserves the opportunity to be heard and help shape our democracy; however, we also recognize many individuals are often balancing work and life commitments that can make it difficult to visit the polls,” said Jon Lacks, CEO, DockYard. “At a time when so many are challenged with maintaining this balance—particularly during the pandemic—we knew it was of the utmost importance to give our employees greater flexibility to vote.”
As a fully-distributed organization since 2016, DockYard strives to offer employees the work-life balance they need to create their best work by being their best selves. Earlier in 2020, the company was recognized for its deep commitment to encouraging innovation at all levels as part of Fast Company’s second annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list.
Learn more about DockYard’s collaborative team of experienced product strategists, designers, and engineers: [https://dockyard.com/culture](https://dockyard.com/culture)
About DockYard
DockYard is a digital product consultancy specializing in user-centered web application design and development. We partner with visionary companies such as Netflix, Apple, Nasdaq, Fidelity Investments, Cars.com, McGraw-Hill, Harvard, and various startups to create meaningful web experiences for their users. DockYard’s collaborative team of product strategists help clients to better understand the people they serve. We use progressive technology to transform those insights into impactful, inclusive, and reliable digital products. From ideation to delivery, we empower ambitious teams to build for the future. Visit us at [www.dockyard.com](https://dockyard.com/).
About Time to Vote
Time to Vote is a nonpartisan, business-led initiative to help ensure employees across America don’t have to choose between voting and earning a paycheck. Participation includes giving employees access to and information about early voting or vote-by-mail options, offering paid time off on Election Day or making it a day without meetings. Time to Vote was founded by Levi Strauss & Co., Patagonia and PayPal ahead of the 2018 midterm elections, when 411 companies representing all 50 states and a variety of industries joined. For more information, visit maketimetovote.org.
