HR 319
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 319
To require employers to provide veterans with time off on Veterans
Day.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
January 19, 2011
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Education and the Workforce
A BILL
To require employers to provide veterans with time off on Veterans
Day.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Veterans Day Off Act'.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
(1) IN GENERAL- The term `eligible employee' means an employee who--
(A) is a veteran, as that term is defined in section 101 of title 38,
United States Code; and
(B) has been employed for at least 12 months by the employer with respect
to whom leave is requested under section 3.
(2) EXCLUSIONS- The term `eligible employee' does not include an individual
employed by a public agency, as that term is defined in section 3(e)(2)
of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(3)(e)(2)).
(b) Employ; Employee- The terms `employ' and `employee' have the same meanings
given such terms in subsections (e) and (g) of section 3 of the Fair Labor
Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203 (e) and (g)).
(c) Employer- The term `employer' means any person engaged in commerce or
in any industry or activity affecting commerce who employs 50 or more employees
during a calendar year, and includes any person who acts, directly or indirectly,
in the interest of any employer to any of the employees of such employer and
any successor in interest of an employer. In the previous sentence, the terms
`commerce' and `industry or activity affective commerce' have the meaning
given such terms in section 101(1) of the Family and Medical Leave Act of
1993.
(d) Person- The term `person' has the same meaning given such term in section
3(a) of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 203(a)).
(e) Secretary- The term `Secretary' means the Secretary of Labor.
SEC. 3. LEAVE REQUIREMENT.
(a) Entitlement to Leave-
(1) IN GENERAL- Except as provided in paragraph (2), an eligible employee
shall be entitled to leave on Veterans Day upon request if such employee
would otherwise be required to work on Veterans Day.
(2) EXCEPTIONS- An employer may deny leave to an eligible employee if providing
leave to the employee would--
(A) negatively impact public health or safety; or
(B) cause the employer significant economic or operational disruption.
(1) UNPAID LEAVE PERMITTED- Leave granted under subsection (a) may consist
of unpaid leave.
(2) SUBSTITUTION OF PAID LEAVE- An eligible employee may elect, or an employer
may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation
leave or personal leave of the employee for leave provided under subsection
(a).
(c) Duties of Employee- Not less than 30 days before the Veterans Day on which
leave is requested to be taken, an employee requesting leave under subsection
(a) shall provide the employer with the following:
(1) Written notice of the employee's intention to take leave under subsection
(a).
(2) Documentation verifying that the employee is a veteran.
(1) NOTICE OF DECISION- Not less than 10 days before the Veterans Day on
which leave is requested to be taken, the employer shall notify an employee
requesting leave under subsection (a)--
(A) whether the employee shall be provided leave; and
(B) if so, whether the leave shall be paid or unpaid.
(2) DENIAL OF LEAVE REQUEST- If an employer receives multiple requests for
leave under subsection (a)(1) and denies leave to more than one eligible
employee in accordance with subsection (a)(2), the employer should deny
leave to the minimum number of eligible employees practicable.
SEC. 4. PROHIBITED ACTS.
(a) Interference With Rights-
(1) EXERCISE OF RIGHTS- It shall be unlawful for any employer to interfere
with, restrain, or deny the taking of or the attempt to take, any leave
provided under this Act.
(2) DISCRIMINATION- It shall be unlawful for any employer to discharge or
in any other manner discriminate against any individual for opposing any
practice made unlawful by this Act.
(b) Interference With Proceedings or Inquiries- It shall be unlawful for any
person to discharge or in any other manner discriminate against any individual
because such individual--
(1) has filed any charge, or has instituted or caused to be instituted any
proceeding, under or related to this Act;
(2) has given, or is about to give, any information in connection with any
inquiry or proceeding relating to any leave provided under this Act; or
(3) has testified, or is about to testify, in any inquiry or proceeding
relating to any leave provided under this Act.
SEC. 5. INVESTIGATIVE AUTHORITY.
The Secretary shall have investigative authority with respect to the provisions
of this Act in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as
the investigative authority provided under section 106 of the Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1993, and the requirements of section 106 of such Act shall apply
to employers under this Act in the same manner as such requirements apply
to employers under section 106 of such Act.
SEC. 6. ENFORCEMENT.
The provisions of section 107 of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
shall apply with respect to the enforcement of the requirements of this Act
in the same manner and under the same terms and conditions as such provisions
apply with respect to the enforcement of the requirements of title I of such
Act.
SEC. 7. NOTICE.
(a) In General- Each employer shall post and keep posted, in conspicuous places
on the premises of the employer where notices to employees and applicants
for employment are customarily posted, a notice, to be prepared or approved
by the Secretary, setting forth excerpts from, or summaries of, the pertinent
provisions of this title Act information pertaining to the filing of a charge.
(b) Penalty- Any employer that willfully violates this section may be assessed
a civil money penalty not to exceed $100 for each separate offense.
END
