Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §630, as amended by PL 1997, c. 356, §1, is further amended to read:

§630. Written statement of reason for termination

of employment

An employer shall, upon written request of the affected employee, give that employee the written reasons for the termination of that person's employment. An employer who fails to satisfy this request within 15 days of receiving it may be subject to a forfeiture of not less than $50 nor more than $500. An employee may bring an action in the District Court or the Superior Court for such equitable relief, including an injunction, as the court may consider to be necessary and proper. The employer may also be required to reimburse the employee for the costs of suit, including a reasonable attorney's fee if the employee receives a judgment in the employee's favor. This section does not apply to applies to all employers and employees, public employees in proceedings governed by Title 1, section 405 and private.

Sec. 2. 26 MRSA §631, as amended by PL 1999, c. 235, §1, is further amended by adding at the end a new paragraph to read:

This section applies to all employers and employees, public and private.

SUMMARY

This bill provides that a public sector employee, as well as a private sector employee, may request written reasons from an employer for that employee's termination and may review and copy that employee's personnel file.