Paid leave for general elections on May 5, 2024.
Luis Eduardo Valle Arias
MENDOZA, ARIAS, VALLE & CASTILLO by means of the present informative bulletin has the purpose of summarizing the information on the licenses of the electoral officials in Panama, as provided in articles 258, 265 and 267 of Decree 29 of May 30, 2022, which calls for the General Election of May 5, 2024 and articles 407, 543 and 546 of the Electoral Code.
Licenses of electoral officials, meaning members of the National Board of Canvassers of the National Board of Canvassers, of the Canvassing Boards of Electoral Circuits, of the District Canvassing Boards where there is a District Canvassing Boards where there is an election for Councilmen, of the Community Canvassing Boards of Community Canvassing Boards, Polling Stations and Electoral Delegates. Electoral Delegates:
Article 258: Electoral founders, members of electoral companies and electoral delegates are entitled to leave with pay from their public or private employment, for the duration of their training and for the time they exercise their functions.
Article 265: The members of the electoral corporations and the electoral delegates are entitled to paid leave of absence from their public or private employment, for the purpose of their training and for the time they exercise their functions.
Article 267: The Regional Directors of Electoral Organization shall issue the certifications stating the days that the electoral officers and electoral delegates actually attended the trainings and worked, so that they may have probative effect before the respective employers.
Article 407: The members of the electoral corporations and the electoral delegates are entitled to paid leave of absence from their public or private employment for the time they perform their duties. The Electoral Tribunal shall certify the days that the electoral delegates exercised their functions.
Article 543: A fine of one thousand balboas (B/ 1,000.00) to three thousand balboas (B/3,000.00) shall be imposed on the employer who prevents his employee or public servant, appointed by the Electoral Tribunal as an official of an electoral corporation, representative of a political party or a candidate for free nomination, from fully performing his duties or who adopts reprisals against him.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that employers respect the right of their workers to take electoral leave. It is recommended that employers request from workers the documentation from the Electoral Tribunal certifying the days that the electoral delegates have performed their duties.
