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Compass Coffee offering employees paid time off to volunteer at polls on Election Day

Compass Coffee's initiative is a part of a nationwide plan organized by 'Power the Polls' to inspire 250,000 Americans to volunteers at election poll sites.

WASHINGTON — A D.C. business revealed a new strategy to get its employees involved in the democratic process this November.

Compass Coffee recently announced it will offer its employees paid time off if they decide to volunteer as poll workers in the communities they live in this November.

Compass Coffee is one of dozens of American companies that have partnered with a group called “Power the Polls” to recruit poll workers nationwide.

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According to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission, the country is facing a critical shortage of poll workers heading into the November election amid the spread of the coronavirus.

Max Deem, vice-president of operations at Compass Coffee, said he thought it was important for the local coffee chain to encourage people to participate in the democratic process.

“We definitely want to be a part of a future where everyone is engaged in civics, especially voting,” he said.

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Deem said in just one day, 13 Compass Coffee employees have already decided to take the company up on its offer.

However, Deem and Kuran Malhotra, director of corporate development at Compass Coffee, say their company is doing more than offering employees paid time off if they volunteer at the polls.

They said the company will work with its employees to create “voting plans” to ensure they have the time they need in the day to get out and vote for whoever they want to during their shifts.

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“I think it's really important to us as a company to get people involved with civic engagement and our society in our community,” Malhotra said. “We, as a company really believe in making people's days better. That's why we're here.”

Power the Polls states on its website that its goal is to encourage up to 250,000 Americans to sign up for work at the polls.

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