If you voted in the elections or were a jury, you can request a break from work

Colombians have a number of benefits from having participated in the elections of the Congress of the Republic. Among these is the opportunity to take half a day off from work, an option that will be valid to be effective until next April 13.

The benefit of the half-day off was stipulated in article 3 of Law 403 of 1997. “Any citizen who proves that he has exercised the right to vote legitimately may have half a day's compensatory rest paid for the time he uses to fulfill his function as a voter”, the regulations read.

This right applies to all employees regardless of the type of employment contract: fixed term, indefinite, trust and management.

The citizen must present the voting certificate to his direct leader and the date must be agreed within 30 days after voting, that is, until next April 13.

The National Civil Status Registry emphasized that this benefit also applies to those who have been voting juries. In the electoral code, article 105 of Decree 2241 of 1986 stipulates that, “The position of voting jury is of compulsory acceptance. Voting juries working in the public or private sector shall be entitled to one (1) compensatory day of paid rest within 45 days of voting.”

Juries must submit to their direct chiefs form E-18 showing that they served during the elections and will have 45 days to establish the date of the paid rest day. In that sense, those who have been sworn and have voted, will have the possibility of access to a day and a half free.

It should be recalled that if the employer refuses to provide paid compensation, Colombians may file a formal complaint with the Ministry of Labour.

The General Registrar of the nation confirmed before the elections that people exercising their right to vote will not only help determine who will make up the new Congress, but will also be able to receive some discounts and benefits.

- Priority in the event of obtaining a tie in the results of the entrance examinations to public or private institutions of higher education.

- Reduction of one month in the time of provision of compulsory military service if they are high school soldiers or high school auxiliaries and two months if they are peasant soldiers or regular soldiers. They also have access to a 10% discount on the initial processing and issuance of duplicates of the military book.

- Benefits in the award of educational scholarships, rural properties and housing subsidies offered by the State in cases of equal conditions strictly established in an open competition. Similar treatment will have in case of equal score on a list of eligible when it is a career employment with the State.

- Students of an official institution of higher education shall be entitled to a 10% discount on the cost of tuition, according to article 1 of Law 815 of 2003, which adds new incentives to the suffragant.

- 10% reduction in the value of the issuance of the passport you request during the 4 years following the vote, for a single time.

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