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An Act To Create Veteran-friendly Workplaces
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §637  is enacted to read:
§ 637. Leave for appointments for veterans
 
1.  Definitions.     As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the following terms have the following meanings.
 
A.  "Employer" means a public or private employer.
 
B.  "Paid leave" has the same meaning as in section 636, subsection 1, paragraph C.
 
C.  "Veteran" means an employee who is a veteran, as defined in section 877, subsection 3.
 
2.  Leave.     An employer who provides paid leave and has 10 or more employees shall allow a veteran to take paid leave to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. An employer who does not provide paid leave and has 10 or more employees shall grant unpaid leave to a veteran to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. An employer who provides paid leave and has fewer than 10 employees shall allow a veteran to take paid leave to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when the veteran provides the employer at least 2 weeks' notice of such an appointment unless the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the veteran less than 2 weeks' notice of an appointment, in which case the veteran shall provide the employer notice of the appointment as soon as reasonably possible. An employer who does not provide paid leave and has fewer than 10 employees shall grant unpaid leave to a veteran to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when the veteran provides the employer at least 2 weeks' notice of such an appointment unless the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the veteran less than 2 weeks' notice of an appointment, in which case the veteran shall provide the employer notice of the appointment as soon as reasonably possible. For an appointment for which a veteran provides less than 2 weeks' notice to an employer that has fewer than 10 employees unless the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the veteran less than 2 weeks' notice of an appointment, in which case the veteran shall provide the employer notice of the appointment as soon as reasonably possible, the employer is not required to grant paid or unpaid leave.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires an employer who provides paid leave and has 10 or more employees to allow a veteran to take paid leave to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. An employer who does not provide paid leave and has 10 or more employees must grant unpaid leave to a veteran to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. An employer who provides paid leave and has fewer than 10 employees must allow a veteran to take paid leave to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when the veteran provides the employer at least 2 weeks' notice of such an appointment unless the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the veteran less than 2 weeks' notice of an appointment, in which case the veteran shall provide the employer notice of the appointment as soon as reasonably possible. An employer who does not provide paid leave and has fewer than 10 employees must grant unpaid leave to a veteran to attend a scheduled appointment at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when the veteran provides the employer at least 2 weeks' notice of such an appointment unless the United States Department of Veterans Affairs provides the veteran less than 2 weeks' notice of an appointment, in which case the veteran shall provide the employer notice of the appointment as soon as reasonably possible.