An Act To Create an Award Program for Maine's Veteran-friendly Workplaces
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 37-B MRSA §516 is enacted to read:
§ 516. Veteran-friendly workplace award
1. Award program established. The veteran-friendly workplace award program is established to recognize veteran-friendly employers that employ veterans and support those veterans by making accommodations for the veterans in the workplace. The program is administered by the bureau as set out in this section.
2. Award criteria. The bureau shall present an award under subsection 1 to an employer that:
A. Makes accommodations for veterans employed by the employer to access or attend medical treatments and appointments or other veteran-related services during the work day, including flexible scheduling, shift changes and any other measure that does not cause the veteran to lose pay, compensation time or full-time employment status;
B. On an annual basis conducts an approved military culture and mental health awareness training for the employees of the employer and allows a flexible schedule for the employees to access or participate in military culture and mental health awareness training, including an online course provided by the bureau or another source approved by the bureau; and
C. In making hiring decisions about and determining proper roles and duties for veterans employed by the employer, gives consideration to military education, training and experience.
3. Rules. The bureau shall adopt routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A to carry out the purposes of this section.
SUMMARY
This bill creates a veteran-friendly workplace award program through which the Department of Defense, Veterans and Emergency Management, Bureau of Maine Veterans' Services recognizes employers that employ veterans and that support those veterans by making accommodations to allow the veterans to access or attend medical treatments and appointments and other veteran-related services during the work day.