Extremadura sets paid leave for voting on November 29

The General Directorate of Labor of the Junta de Extremadura has established the working hours and paid leave applicable to Sunday, November 29, 2026, the date of the elections for the Congress of Deputies and the Senate. This is done through the Resolution of October 28, 2026, published in the Official Gazette of Extremadura (DOE) number 214, dated November 6, 2026, with official reference 2026062785. The regulation affects all companies and workforces in the region with activity on that day.

The framework: a state call and a regional competence

The electoral call was formalized through Royal Decree 806/2026, of October 5, regarding the dissolution of the Congress of Deputies and the Senate, published in the Official State Gazette number 248, dated October 6, which set the date for the polls for November 29, 2026.

Article 13 of Royal Decree 605/1999, of April 16, on the complementary regulation of electoral processes, entrusts the bodies with labor competencies to adopt the necessary measures to facilitate voting for those who do not have the day off and for those who vote by mail. In Extremadura, this competence corresponds to the General Directorate of Labor of the Ministry of Economy, Employment, and Digital Transformation, following the transfer carried out by Royal Decree 642/1995 and in accordance with Decree 187/2018. The resolution is adopted in agreement with the Government Delegation in Extremadura and is signed in Mérida by the director general, Pilar Bueno Espada.

Leave according to overlap with the voting day

Workers who do not enjoy their weekly rest on Sunday, November 29, will be entitled to paid leave calculated based on the overlap between their schedule and that of the polls, which are open from 9:00 to 20:00 hours:

• No leave if the schedule does not coincide with the voting or coincides for a period of less than two hours.
• Two hours of leave if the overlap is two or more hours and less than four.
• Three hours if the overlap is four or more hours and less than six.
• Four hours if the working schedule overlaps for six or more hours with the voting schedule.

The distribution of the leave period is the responsibility of the employer, based on the organization of work. In part-time contracts with a workday shorter than the usual one for the sector, the leave is reduced proportionally.

Mail-in voting, polling stations, scrutineers, and proxies

Those who must work on that day away from their habitual residence, or under conditions that hinder voting, may substitute this leave for another of an identical nature intended to personally request the certification of registration in the census—as provided for in Article 72 of Organic Law 5/1985 on the General Electoral Regime—and to send the vote by mail. The duration is calculated using the same criteria, referring to the opening hours of the Post Offices.

For those appointed as presidents or members of polling stations and for accredited scrutineers, the paid leave covers the entire working day of the voting day if they do not have that day off, plus a reduction of five hours in the immediately following working day. In the case of proxies, the leave is limited to the voting day. Those who have a night shift on the eve may request a shift change to rest before voting.

Minimum Nature and Justification of Leave

Working day reductions do not entail a reduction in remuneration, pursuant to Article 37.3.d) of the Workers’ Statute, and are justified by the voting certification or the polling station accreditation. The approved provisions are of a minimum nature and apply supplementarily to both the personnel of the Junta de Extremadura and to any regime agreed upon in collective bargaining.

The electoral calendar makes this resolution the immediate frame of reference for thousands of Extremaduran companies that operate on Sundays, a frequent scenario in commerce, hospitality, logistics, healthcare, and emergency services. Its application ensures that staff can exercise their right to vote without loss of salary and that companies can organize shifts and reinforcements in advance.

Source: Official Gazette of Extremadura, number 214, of November 6, 2026, section III (official reference: 2026062785).