Hi friends. Wow, we’re less than one week away from the 2024 Presidential Election, and we want to give you a friendly little reminder to get out there and VOTE!! 

Song of the day: To calm our election anxiety we’ll be blasting “Party In The USA” for the foreseeable future. 

Have a Q for us? We have an A for you here!

How To Vote During The Work Day

 question 
I’m not able to get to the polls before or after work on Election Day. Is my work required to let me leave during the day to do so? —P.

 answer 
There's no federal law stating companies must give their employees time off to vote during work, but 28 states and the District of Columbia have their own laws that do. In fact, some of these laws require employers to provide paid time off to do their civic duty.

If you live in a state where your company isn’t obligated to give you time off to vote, make a plan ahead of time to ensure you can. Talk to your manager, and let them know your situation, or head to the polls on your lunch break.  

Here are a few other things you can do if you’re worried about taking time off of work to cast your ballot:

• Vote Early. The choice to vote before Election Day is available in most states except Alabama, Mississippi, and New Hampshire. 

• Drop Off Your Ballot. The recommended date to mail your absentee ballot back was October 22, so if you still plan on voting absentee and want to ensure your vote counts (it does!!), bring your ballot to a designated drop-off site.

Remember that voting determines our rights and safety living in the U.S. And while this presidential election is crucial, don’t forget to do your research on your local and state officials. They’ll make those important decisions before they even get to the White House! 

How To Tell Your Boss You’re Not a Mindreader

 question 
My direct boss is a great friend of mine and we work really well together. However, our team’s lead gives me a lot of anxiety. It feels like he constantly expects us to know exactly what he's thinking at all times and gets mad when we don’t. How do we handle this? —E.

 answer 
Imagine if we could read minds so we didn’t have to wonder if people were mad at us?! In this instance, you may need to have a little chitty-chat with your boss. While 1) it’s not your job to be your boss’ boss, and 2) it will require a little more work (ew), having a weekly check-in with them may streamline communication and set expectations on both sides.

Some things to include in those meetings so that you can get on the same page?

If your workflow and boss’ expectations don’t change for the better after your weekly check-ins, this may be a sign your communication styles aren’t the most compatible. So you’ll have to consider 1) going insane trying to keep up with unrealistic expectations or 2) looking for another job that better fits your work style.

Need some advice? We wanna hear it here! 

…after you head to the polls to vote early.

We still dream of Panera’s cheddar broccoli soup in a bread bowl, so this cheddar broccoli GRILLED CHEESE recipe by Rachaellsrecipes is really just  *chef’s kiss*.

Kate Steinberg, Nicole Story Dent, and Erin Miller really just brought us back to Halloween weekend in college with these classic, non-practical Halloween costume mems. 💕

We’re not crying, you’re crying. JK, we’re ALL crying. Andrew Garfield was on Sesame Street talking about grief after the death of his mother, and his message is beyond beautiful. 

Thanks so much for hanging today! We’re taking next week off of WorkDaze and Are You Mad At Me? but we’ll catch you back here the following!

—Rod and Gabi