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Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S13452-13453)

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Oct 25, 2007

Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act - Prohibits any employee from being terminated, demoted, or discriminated against in the terms or conditions of employment because the employee is absent or late as a result of serving as a volunteer firefighter or providing volunteer emergency medical services as part of a response to an emergency or major disaster. Excludes absences for which the employee: (1) is absent for more than 14 days per calendar year; (2) responds to an emergency or major disaster without being official deployed in accordance with a coordinator national deployment system; or (3) fails to provide written verification within a reasonable period of time.

Allows employers to: (1) reduce the employee's regular pay for such time as the employee is absent; and (2) require the employee to provide written verification from the supervising Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), state, or local official that such employee responded in an official capacity at a specified time and date.

Requires such an employee to make a reasonable effort to notify his or her employer that he or she may be absent or late.

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Gives such an employee a private cause of action for discrimination which violates this Act.

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Who introduced it

Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] · D–DE

Committees

  • Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee
2 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. (text of measure as introduced: CR S13452-13453)

  2. Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S13452)

  3. Introduced in Senate

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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