PA Law Protecting Firefighters

Niki Barnes · January 2002

I am looking for a PA law that protects firefighters from being disciplined for call offs. We have a very small medical facility with limited staff in the ER. when someone calls off it is a burden and can be dangeruos for our patients. We have one tech who is a volunteer fireman and is in the corrective action process for call offs (unrelated to the fire call incident) He recently called off becaused of a fire call. I need to know if he is protected by aPA or federal laws. He is citing a PA bill that was introduced in 1999 but I am unable to determine if it was ever signed into law. (PA Senate Bill No. 46 session of 1999.
Hope someone can help me.

Frenchie · January 2002

I can't help you with PA law, however, there was a House Bill 203 that became effective on March 15, 2001 that changed the Ohio Revised Code. This bill prohibits an employer from terminating an employee who is a volunteer firefighter, or volunteer provider of emergency medical services when that employee misses or is late to work because of an emergency to which he was dispatched. Based on that, we would not count these events as absent or tardy in regard to our attendance policy. Hope this helps.

Niki Barnes · January 2002

Thanks for your help. Actually I did finally find it on the Net. Firefighters are protected in PA. Thanks again.

PA Law Protecting Firefighters

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