How Old Navy, Target, and other companies helped respond to a national polling worker shortage

• Ahead of Tuesday's presidential election, the US faced a shortage of poll workers as many seniors sat out this cycle over fears of contracting the coronavirus.
• But a number of businesses stepped up and encouraged their employees to volunteer as poll workers by giving them paid time off to do so.
• Old Navy and Tory Burch are some of the companies extending this benefit to their workers.
• Other companies like Starbucks and Salesforce are partnering with a nonprofit organization called Power the Polls, which aimed to recruit 250,000 poll workers for Election Day.

In the months leading up to Tuesday's presidential election, there was a looming shortage of poll workers amid the coronavirus pandemic. Historically, the majority of poll workers are over the age of 60, which is a high-risk group for the virus.

But a number of companies have stepped up to help combat the shortage.

250,000 workers

In September, Old Navy announced it will pay its store employees to work the polls on Election Day. The company, which has 50,000-plus employees, said it is working with Civic Alliance, a nonpartisan coalition of businesses, and Power the Polls, an organization aimed at recruiting 250,000 poll workers "to ensure polling sites stay open and operate efficiently across the country" on Election Day.

Old Navy said it will compensate store associates who serve as poll workers with eight hours of pay, in addition to any compensation they receive from their local jurisdictions.

Nancy Green, president of Old Navy, said in a press release that "every voice in this country matters and deserves to be heard at the polls."

Getting engaged

The clothing retailer is part of a growing trend of businesses promoting civic engagement.

Also in September, fashion company Tory Burch announced it would also compensate workers who volunteered or worked at the polls for their day off.

"Sustaining our democracy requires hands-on, active participation, and the lack of poll workers potentially puts the voting process at risk," Tory Burch, founder of the company, said in a statement provided to Business Insider.

"As a businesswoman and a citizen, it is important to me to do what I can to help provide solutions," she added.

Warby Parker also joined the effort, ensuring employees have paid time off to vote as well as the opportunity to serve as poll workers.

"As business leaders, it's our responsibility to ensure our employees are able to exercise their right to express their preference in who leads their local community, their state and our country," the cofounders of the eyewear company wrote in a CNN op-ed.

Target, too, is offering employees paid time off to vote or work as poll workers.

"Target believes each eligible voter should make their voice heard, and we have a long history of encouraging guests and team members to vote," the company wrote in a statement.

Some small businesses also joined the effort to promote civic engagement.

DC-based coffee company Compass Coffee is also compensating workers who take the day off to serve as poll workers.

"We want to be engaged. We want to be a part of democracy," district Manager at Compass Coffee told DC CBS affiliate WUSA9.

Other companies like Patagonia, Salesforce, and Starbucks are also working with Power the Polls, the organization leading the effort for more companies to sign on to their mission of getting more poll workers.

A national trend

Earlier this year, more than 380 companies including Deloitte, Dell, and JPMorgan Chase announced their partnering with the nonpartisan Time to Vote coalition to encourage workers to cast their ballots in the 2020 US presidential election.

The participating companies are either giving workers the day off, providing information about early voting or vote-by-mail options, or are making Nov. 3 a day without meetings.