B.__The request for leave is not communicated to the employer within a reasonable time under the circumstances.

3.__Benefits retained.__The taking of leave under this subchapter may not result in the loss of any employee benefits accrued before the date on which the leave commenced and does not affect the employee's right to receive normal vacation leave, sick leave, bonuses, advancement or other advantages of employment normally to be anticipated in the employee's particular position, including insurance benefits.

4.__Civil penalties.__The Department of Labor may assess civil penalties of up to $200 for each violation of this section if notice of the violation is given to the employer and the department within 6 months of the occurrence.

5.__Application.__This subchapter applies to all public and private employers, including the State and its political subdivisions.

Sec. 24. PL 2001, c. 694, Pt. B, §6, as amended by PL 2003, c. 366, §1, is repealed.

SUMMARY

This bill amends the laws regarding the control of communicable diseases in the following ways.

1. It removes the repeal of the laws regarding the ability of the Department of Health and Human Services to respond to an extreme public health emergency.

2. It allows for isolation or quarantine in a private home. Current law allows for confinement only in public or private facilities; private homes are not considered facilities. This change, for both a public health emergency and an extreme public health emergency, allows for confinement for quarantine or isolation in a private home. Authority of the department is made consistent with the authority of a court order.

3. It grants the department rulemaking authority to address workforce needs and the need for dispensing drugs in an emergency situation. This provision gives the department the authority to develop rules that address the risk of a potential shortage of health care workers and procedures for dispensing drugs in the event of an extreme public health emergency.