Blum House, Oprah Winfrey’s OWN Among Hollywood & Media Companies Recognizing Election Day As Holiday – Update

Alexandra Del Rosario and Patrick Hipes
·3 min read

Hollywood and media employees can look forward to a new holiday once November comes around.

Election Day will become a fully-paid day off for some industry workers as companies plan to adopt the new policy. Oprah Winfrey’s OWN is one of the first media companies encouraging employees to step away from work and exercise their right to vote on November 3. Oprah announced the new employee holiday Tuesday on Instagram.

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“This will give my team the necessary time to put on their masks, get to the polls, cast their ballots, and volunteer,” Winfrey wrote in the caption. ”

Her announcement comes on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women, the right to vote. In addition to detailing the purpose and goals of the newly-implemented company holiday, Winfrey also challenged other companies to make Election Day a holiday for employees.

A3 Artists Agency also adopted the same policy, announcing that it will make Election Day a work holiday, encouraging workers to fulfill their civic duty as American citizens. Like Winfrey, A3 also urges employees to do more than just cast their ballots, noting that they can also encourage members of their local and digital communities to also turn out on Election Day.

Also making election day an official holiday for employees is Jason Blum. On Twitter, the producer wrote that his Blum House Productions company will give employees the day off in November.

“I endorse making Nov. 3rd a national holiday and excusing all work absences…because nothing is scarier than not being able to vote,” he wrote.”

Urging people to get out and vote is nothing new for Hollywood as television and movie stars continue to use their platform to urge followers to vote in both local and national elections. Among the big names calling for supporters and fans to vote this election cycle include Taylor Swift, Kerry Washington, Reese Witherspoon and Ava DuVernay.

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