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An Act To Help Retain School Bus Drivers
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §1192, sub-§14, as enacted by PL 2017, c. 453, §4, is amended to read:
 
14. Temporary unemployment; work search.   Notwithstanding any other provisions of this chapter to the contrary, any otherwise eligible individual who is temporarily laid off by an employer that has given that individual a definite recall date may not be denied benefits for any week based on the individual's failure to meet the requirements of subsection 2 or 3 for a period of 6 weeks during that temporary layoff, so long as the individual remains in contact with and able and available to work for that employer.
 
This subsection applies to a person employed as a school bus driver for a public or private educational institution whose employer has set a definite recall date of not more than 12 weeks from the date of the temporary layoff.
 
An individual may not receive more than 6 weeks of benefits in a benefit year pursuant to this subsection unless approved by the Department of Labor.
 
SUMMARY
This bill exempts a school bus driver who has been temporarily laid off from work search requirements in the unemployment compensation laws for up to 6 weeks if the driver's employer sets a definite recall date of not more than 12 weeks from the date of the temporary layoff.