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1 New Section; Employment Protections for Members of the General Court. Amend RSA 14-A by inserting after section 6 the following new sections:
14-A:7 Right to Leave Work.
I. An employer shall permit an employee who is a member of the general court to leave work to attend up to 168 hours of general court voting each calendar year, whether or not the employee has accrued paid time off.
II. Before an employee may leave work under this provision, the employee shall provide the employer with a copy of the notice for each general court session day they will attend.
III. An employer shall not discharge an employee who is a member of the general court for attending a noticed and disclosed session of the general court.
IV. An employer may require a member of the general court to use the employee's accrued vacation time, personal leave time, or paid time off to attend a noticed and disclosed voting session of the general court. If the employee does not have accrued paid time off, their absence to attend general court voting shall be granted as unpaid time off.
V. Any employer who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, to be imposed by the labor commissioner in accordance with the procedures established in RSA 273:11-a. An employer aggrieved by the commissioner's assessment of such penalty may appeal in accordance with RSA 273:11-c.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.
Text to be added highlighted in green.
1 New Section; Employment Protections for Members of the General Court. Amend RSA 14-A by inserting after section 6 the following new sections:
14-A:7 Right to Leave Work.
I. An employer shall permit an employee who is a member of the general court to leave work to attend up to 168 hours of general court voting each calendar year, whether or not the employee has accrued paid time off.
II. Before an employee may leave work under this provision, the employee shall provide the employer with a copy of the notice for each general court session day they will attend.
III. An employer shall not discharge an employee who is a member of the general court for attending a noticed and disclosed session of the general court.
IV. An employer may require a member of the general court to use the employee's accrued vacation time, personal leave time, or paid time off to attend a noticed and disclosed voting session of the general court. If the employee does not have accrued paid time off, their absence to attend general court voting shall be granted as unpaid time off.
V. Any employer who violates this section shall be subject to a civil penalty, to be imposed by the labor commissioner in accordance with the procedures established in RSA 273:11-a. An employer aggrieved by the commissioner's assessment of such penalty may appeal in accordance with RSA 273:11-c.
2 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.