,i #aacth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #ccfh ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,october #bi1 #bjac ,mr4 ,braley of ,iowa introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on ,education and the ,workforce ,a ,,bill ,to require employers to provide veterans with time off on ,veterans ,day4 #a4 ,short ,title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,veterans ,day ,off ,act4 #b4 ,definitions ,in this ,act3 7a7 ,eligible ,employee 7#a7 ,in ,general ,the term eligible employee means an employee who-- 7,a7 is a veteran1 as that term is defined in section #aja of title #ch1 ,united ,states ,code2 and 7,b7 has been employed for at least #ab months by the employer with respect to whom leave is requested under section #c4 7#b7 ,exclusions ,the term eligible employee does not include an individual employed by a public agency1 as that term is defined in section #c7;e77#b7 of the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bjc7c77;e77#b774 7b7 ,employ2 employee ,the terms employ and employee have the same meanings given such terms in subsections 7e7 and 7g7 of section #c of the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bjc 7e7 and 7g774 7c7 ,employer ,the term employer means any person engaged in commerce or in any industry or activity affecting commerce who employs #ej or more employees during a calendar year1 and includes any person who acts1 directly or indirectly1 in the interest of any employer to any of the employees of such employer and any successor in interest of an employer4 ,in the previous sentence1 the terms commerce and industry or activity affective commerce have the meaning given such terms in section #aja7a7 of the ,family and ,medical ,leave ,act of #aiic4 7d7 ,person ,the term person has the same meaning given such term in section #c7;a7 of the ,fair ,labor ,standards ,act of #aich 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #bjc7;a774 7e7 ,secretary ,the term ,secretary means the ,secretary of ,labor4 #c4 ,leave requirement 7a7 ,entitlement to leave 7#a7 ,in ,general ,except as provided in paragraph 7#b71 an eligible employee shall be entitled to leave on ,veterans ,day upon request if such employee would otherwise be required to work on ,veterans ,day4 7#b7 ,exceptions ,an employer may deny leave to an eligible employee if providing leave to the employee would-- 7,a7 negatively impact public health or safety2 or 7,b7 cause the employer significant economic or operational disruption4 7b7 ,type of leave 7#a7 ,unpaid leave permitted ,leave granted under subsection 7a7 may consist of unpaid leave4 7#b7 ,substitution of paid leave ,an eligible employee may elect1 or an employer may require the employee1 to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation leave or personal leave of the employee for leave provided under subsection 7a74 7c7 ,duties of ,employee ,not less than #cj days before the ,veterans ,day on which leave is requested to be taken1 an employee requesting leave under subsection 7a7 shall provide the employer with the following3 7#a7 ,written notice of the employee's intention to take leave under subsection 7a74 7#b7 ,documentation verifying that the employee is a veteran4 7d7 ,duties of ,employer 7#a7 ,notice of decision ,not less than #aj days before the ,veterans ,day on which leave is requested to be taken1 the employer shall notify an employee requesting leave under subsection 7a7-- 7,a7 whether the employee shall be provided leave2 and 7,b7 if so1 whether the leave shall be paid or unpaid4 7#b7 ,denial of leave request ,if an employer receives multiple requests for leave under subsection 7a77#a7 and denies leave to more than one eligible employee in accordance with subsection 7a77#b71 the employer should deny leave to the minimum number of eligible employees practicable4 #d4 ,prohibited ,acts 7a7 ,interference with rights 7#a7 ,exercise of rights ,it shall be unlawful for any employer to interfere with1 restrain1 or deny the taking of or the attempt to take1 any leave provided under this ,act4 7#b7 ,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 ,act4 7b7 ,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-- 7#a7 has filed any charge1 or has instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding1 under or related to this ,act2 7#b7 has given1 or is about to give1 any information in connection with any inquiry or proceeding relating to any leave provided under this ,act2 or 7#c7 has testified1 or is about to testify1 in any inquiry or proceeding relating to any leave provided under this ,act4 #e4 ,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 #ajf of the ,family and ,medical ,leave ,act of #aiic1 and the requirements of section #ajf of such ,act shall apply to employers under this ,act in the same manner as such requirements apply to employers under section #ajf of such ,act4 #f4 ,enforcement ,the provisions of section #ajg of the ,family and ,medical ,leave ,act of #aiic 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 ,act4 #g4 ,notice 7a7 ,in ,general ,each employer shall post and keep posted1 in conspicuous places on the premises of the employer where notices to employees and applicants for employment are customarily posted1 a notice1 to be prepared or approved by the ,secretary1 setting forth excerpts from1 or summaries of1 the pertinent provisions of this title ,act information pertaining to the filing of a charge4 7b7 ,penalty ,any employer that willfully violates this section may be assessed a civil money penalty not to exceed #ajj for each separate offense4