Committee backs bill to bar employer retaliation for volunteer emergency responders
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Summary
Senate Bill 100 would bar employers from disciplining or penalizing employees who miss work while actively responding as volunteer emergency responders, permit use of accrued paid leave but not require pay, and allow a civil right of action; subcommittee recommended reporting and the full committee reported the bill with amendments 18-0.
Senate Bill 100, discussed in subcommittee and presented to the full Commerce Committee, would prohibit employers from discharging, disciplining, threatening, discriminating against, or otherwise retaliating against employees who fail to report for work because they are actively responding as voluntary emergency responders, provided statutory conditions are met.
The bill does not require employers to pay employees for missed work time while responding, but permits employees to charge the absence to accrued paid leave. SB 100 would also give an aggrieved employee the right to bring a civil action seeking injunctive relief, reinstatement, and compensation for lost wages, benefits or other remuneration.
Subcommittee 2 recommended reporting SB 100 with an amendment on a subcommittee vote of 7-0, and the full committee reported the measure with amendments on a roll call reported as 18-0.
The committee record shows the policy is framed to balance employer obligations and support for volunteer emergency responders; the measure does not impose employer pay obligations for response time but creates an enforcement mechanism through civil action. The committee did not include additional fiscal details on the record; further analysis may be required if the bill proceeds to appropriations or the floor.