Sec. 1. 26 MRSA §850, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1999, c. 435, §1, is amended to read:

1. Required leave. An employer must grant reasonable and necessary leave from work, with or without pay, for an employee to:

A. Prepare for and attend court proceedings;

B. Receive medical treatment; or

C. Obtain necessary services to remedy a crisis caused by domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

The leave must be needed because the employee or a child of the employee is a victim of violence, assault, sexual assaults under Title 17-A, chapter 11, stalking or any act that would support an order for protection under Title 19-A, chapter 101. An employer may not sanction an employee or deprive an employee of pay or benefits for exercising a right granted by this section.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the law concerning current employment leave for victims of violence to require an employer to grant an employee leave from work if a child of that employee is a victim of violence, assault, sexual assault, stalking or any other act that would support an order for protection.