The MainStreet Volunteering, Civic, and Political Activity Policy

MainStreet’s mission is to help create jobs and opportunity for underserved communities and underrepresented individuals, and we work hard each day to achieve that mission by building and promoting the MainStreet platform. We believe that MainStreet is about more than just making money and building a valuable business — we want to make a real difference in improving people’s lives and improving local communities.

In addition, we want to ensure that all MainStreet team members have the ability to serve their communities outside of their day to day jobs. To do so, we are implementing a “Volunteering and Political Activity Policy” that outlines how MainStreet team members can utilize Paid Time Off (PTO) to engage in volunteering, civic, and political activities.

Election Day

Every MainStreet employee will be given two hours of PTO to go and vote on Election Day. Election Day includes Federal Elections (held in November in even years), Federal and Local Primaries (often held in the Spring or Early Summer), and off-cycle municipal elections (for example, the city of San Jose elects its Mayor and City Council in odd years).

To utilize this time, simply mark two hours off on your calendar and clearly label this time “Election Day Voting”

Volunteering and Political Activity

MainStreet employees will receive two days of PTO each year to dedicate to volunteering or political activities. (This PTO will be independent of any vacation time or sick time the employee may receive). MainStreet will allow this PTO to be used for a wide variety of of volunteering or political activities, so long as the following conditions are being met:

• The employee is engaged in a legitimate volunteer or political activity — this time isn’t meant to supplement vacation time!
• The employee is attending the volunteer or political event as an individual and not as a representative of MainStreet.

To utilize this time, please inform your manager ahead of time that you intend to take time off for Volunteering or Political Activities. You do not need to share the specific activity you are engaged in if you do not feel comfortable doing so.

“MainStreet Serves” Day

One day a year, MainStreet will conduct a service activity as a company. This gives us the chance to serve jointly as a team and demonstrate MainStreet’s commitments to improving our community. This day will be paid and will likely be tied to a company offsite.