97TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2011 and 2012
HB3984

 

Introduced 1/18/2012, by Rep. Jehan A. Gordon

 

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
 
New Act

    Creates the Veterans Day Act. Provides that an employer shall provide each employee who is a veteran with paid or unpaid time off for Veterans Day, November 11, if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day, in accordance with the provisions of the Act. Provides that an employer, in complying with the Act, shall have the discretion of providing paid or unpaid time off on Veterans Day. Provides that an employer may only refuse to grant paid or unpaid time off as requested under the Act when providing time off would impact public health or safety or would cause the employer to experience significant economic or operational disruption. Provides that if the employer determines that the employer is unable to provide time off for Veterans Day, the employer shall deny time off only to the minimum number of veteran employees needed by the employer to protect public health or safety or to maintain minimum operational capacity, as applicable. Contains provisions concerning notices and penalties.


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A BILL FOR

 

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1    AN ACT concerning employment.
 
2    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3represented in the General Assembly:
 
4    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5Veterans Day Act.
 
6    Section 3. Definition. As used in this Act, "veteran" means
7an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the United
8States Armed Forces or the United States Reserve Forces on
9active duty or as a member of the Illinois National Guard on
10State active duty and who has received an honorable discharge.
 
11    Section 5. Required time off. An employer shall provide
12each employee who is a veteran with paid or unpaid time off for
13Veterans Day, November 11, if the employee would otherwise be
14required to work on that day, in accordance with the provisions
15of this Act.
 
16    Section 10. Employer discretion. An employer, in complying
17with this Act, shall have the discretion of providing paid or
18unpaid time off on Veterans Day. An employer may refuse to
19grant paid or unpaid time off as requested under this Act only
20when providing time off would impact public health or safety or
21would cause the employer to experience significant economic or

 

 

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1operational disruption. If the employer determines that the
2employer is unable to provide time off for Veterans Day in
3accordance with this Section, the employer shall deny time off
4only to the minimum number of veteran employees needed by the
5employer to protect public health or safety or to maintain
6minimum operational capacity, as applicable.
 
7    Section 15. Notice.
8    (a) A veteran shall provide his or her employer with at
9least one month's prior written notice of the veteran's intent
10to take time off for Veterans Day and shall also provide the
11employer with a federal certificate of release or discharge
12from active duty, or such similar federal document, for
13purposes of determining eligibility for the benefit provided in
14this Act.
15    (b) The employer shall, at least 10 days prior to Veterans
16Day, notify the veteran as to whether the veteran shall be
17provided paid or unpaid time off on Veterans Day.
 
18    Section 20. Penalty. The Department of Labor may assess a
19civil penalty of up to $500, for each violation, on any
20employer who violates this Act. No civil penalty may be imposed
21under this Act until 6 months have elapsed since the effective
22date of this Act. All proceeds from the collection of any civil
23penalty imposed under this Section shall be used by the
24Department of Labor for the enforcement of this Act.