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An Act To Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Substance Use Disorder
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §1404-A  is enacted to read:
§ 1404-A. Substance use disorder employer certification
The department shall establish a process for certifying employers demonstrating best practices in working with employees with substance use disorders.
 
1.  Criteria for certification.     The department shall, in coordination with the Department of Health and Human Services, identify best practices for employers to support individuals with substance use disorders. The department shall develop criteria for certification of an employer and shall develop a process for an employer to apply to the department for certification. The department shall certify an employer who demonstrates that the employer has met the department's criteria for working with employees with substance use disorders.
 
2.  Online database.     The department shall create a publicly accessible online database of employers certified by the department under this section.
 
3.  Rules.     The department shall adopt rules to implement this section. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
 
SUMMARY
This bill directs the Department of Labor to establish a process to certify employers as having met the criteria established by the department for working with employees with substance use disorders. The bill also directs the department to create a publicly accessible database of certified employers.