1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to employment; requiring employers to allowunpaid leave for 
1.3 	employees to perform volunteer firefighter duties; proposing coding for new 
1.4 	law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 181.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. [181.947] VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS.
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Definitions. (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms 
1.8 	havethe meanings given them in this subdivision.
1.9 	(b) "Employee" means a person who performs servicesfor hire for an employer, but 
1.10 	not an essential employee as definedin section 179A.03, subdivision 7.
1.11 	(c) "Employer" means any person having ten or morefull-time employees in 
1.12 	Minnesota and includes the state andany political subdivision of the state.
1.13 		Subd. 2.Adverse action prohibited. An employer may not discharge, discipline, 
1.14 	threaten,otherwise discriminate against, or penalize an employee regarding the employee's 
1.15 	terms,conditions, location, or privileges of employment because the employee isabsent 
1.16 	from or late to work for up to 40 hours in any 12-monthperiod in order to perform 
1.17 	duties as a volunteer firefighter, ifthose duties are emergency response activities. This 
1.18 	sectiondoes not apply where the duties involve administrative or training activitiesonly. 
1.19 	Nothing in this section requires an employer to payan employee for time spent performing 
1.20 	volunteer firefighter duties that arenot part of the employment.
1.21 		Subd. 3.Individual remedies. In addition to any other remedies provided by 
1.22 	law,a person injured by a violation of subdivision 2 may bring a civil actionto recover 
1.23 	damages, costs, disbursements, and reasonable attorneyfees, and may receive injunctive 
1.24 	and equitable relief as determined bya court.

2.1 	Sec.2. REVISOR'S INSTRUCTION.
 2.2 	The revisor of statutes shall insert a first gradeheadnote prior to Minnesota Statutes, 
2.3 	section 181.947, that reads "VOLUNTEERFIREFIGHTER LEAVE."