CHAPTER 296

H.P. 1166 - L.D. 1652

An Act To Establish a Fair System for the Protection of

Volunteer Firefighters' Employment

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:

Sec. 1. 26 MRSA c. 7, sub-c. 4-C is enacted to read:

SUBCHAPTER 4-C

VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER; ABSENCE FROM WORK

§809.__Absence for emergency response

1.__Definitions. As used in this subchapter, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.

A.__"Employer" means any private or public employer, including the State and political subdivisions of the State.

B.__"Responding to an emergency" means responding to, working at the scene of or returning from a fire call, a hazardous or toxic materials spill and cleanup or any other situation to which the fire department has been dispatched.

C.__"Volunteer firefighter" has the same meaning as in Title 30-A, section 3151.

2.__Prohibition against discharge or disciplinary action.__An employer may not discharge or take any other disciplinary action against an employee because of the employee's failure to report for work at the beginning of the employee's regular working hours if the employee failed to do so because the