PLEASE NOTE: Legislative Information cannot perform research, provide legal advice, or interpret Maine law. For legal assistance, please contact a qualified attorney.
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the enacting clause and before the summary and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §636, sub-§1, ¶D  is enacted to read:
 
D.  "Veteran" means an employee who is a veteran, as defined in section 877, subsection 3.
Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §636, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 455, §1, is amended to read:
 
2. Use of paid leave.   If an employer, under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement or employment policy, provides paid leave, then the employer shall allow an employee to use the paid leave for the care of an immediate family member who is ill as provided in this section. An employer who provides paid leave and has 25 or more employees shall allow a veteran to take paid leave to attend scheduled appointments at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs. If a veteran is employed by an employer with fewer than 25 employees, the employer shall grant unpaid leave when the veteran provides the employer at least 2 weeks' notice of such an appointment whenever possible. For appointments for which the veteran provides less than 2 weeks' notice, the employer is not required to grant unpaid leave.’
 
SUMMARY
This amendment replaces the bill, striking the provisions that require an employer to provide a veteran with paid leave for appointments at a medical facility operated by the United States Veterans Administration and that establish a program to recognize veteran-friendly workplaces. The amendment amends current law governing family sick leave by defining "veteran" and requiring an employer with fewer than 25 employees to allow a veteran to take unpaid leave for scheduled appointments at a medical facility operated by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs when the veteran provides 2 weeks' notice. Employers who provide sick leave and have 25 or more employees must provide the veteran with paid leave for those appointments.