Labor: fair employment practices; absence from work to respond to an emergency as an emergency responder; protect from adverse employment action. Creates new act.

This bill creates the Emergency Responder Employment Protection Act to forbid employers from firing, disciplining, or discriminating against paid employees who take time off to respond to emergencies. It specifically protects licensed professionals such as firefighters, medical staff, and emergency management workers, while explicitly excluding law enforcement officers. To qualify for this protection, an employee must notify their employer of their status and provide verification of the emergency need, provided their absence does not create a safety hazard. The law does not require employers to pay for this time off or override existing collective bargaining agreements, but it allows affected workers to sue for damages if their rights are violated.