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HR 3949 109th Congress House

Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act

Official title: To protect volunteer firefighters and emergency medical services personnel responding to national emergencies from termination or demotion in their places of employment.

Introduced: April 25, 2006 See on congress.gov
Labor and Employment Civil Rights and Liberties, Minority IssuesCivil actions and liabilityDamagesDisaster relief
More subjectsShow fewer subjects
DisastersDisciplining of employeesDiscrimination in employmentDismissal of employeesEmergency ManagementEmployee rightsEmployers' liabilityFire fightersFringe benefitsHealthHurricane aftermath legislationLawParamedical personnelSeniority in employmentSocial WelfareVolunteer workersWage restitutionWages
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This bill died when the 109th Congress ended
It never became law before the 109th Congress (2005–2006) adjourned, and bills don't carry over to the next Congress. It would have to be reintroduced. You can still save it for reference, but it won't receive updates.
 Everywhere this bill has been 3 steps
Introduced
In committee
Reported out
Passed House
Passed Senate
To President
Became law
Nov 7, 2005
Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.
Sep 29, 2005
Referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce.
Sep 29, 2005
Introduced in House
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 Latest action November 7, 2005

Referred to the Subcommittee on Employer-Employee Relations.

 Plain-English summary Congressional Research Service

Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act - Prohibits any person 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 responding as a volunteer firefighter or performing volunteer emergency medical services. Limits applicable absences to 14 days per calendar year.

Allows employers to: (1) withhold the employee's regular pay for such time as the employee is absent; and (2) request 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.

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

 Related & companion bills 1
  • S 2399 Related bill Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act
 Bill text 1 version

Source documents hosted by congress.gov.

 Committees of jurisdiction 2
 Cosponsors 17
All 17 Democratic 8 Republican 1 Independent 1
Miller, Brad
· Jul 20, 2006
VISCLOSKY, PETER
· Jul 17, 2006
 D
Baldwin, Tammy
Wisconsin · May 4, 2006
Davis, Geoff
· Apr 25, 2006
 D
McGovern, James P.
Massachusetts · Apr 25, 2006
 D
Neal, Richard E.
Massachusetts · Apr 25, 2006
ORTIZ, SOLOMON
· Apr 5, 2006
GORDON, BART
· Mar 29, 2006
COSTELLO, JERRY
· Feb 1, 2006
 D
Schiff, Adam B.
California · Feb 1, 2006
 D
Thompson, Bennie G.
Mississippi · Feb 1, 2006
 D
Cleaver, Emanuel
Missouri · Nov 18, 2005
 D
Bishop, Sanford D.
Georgia · Nov 2, 2005
 D
Pallone, Frank
New Jersey · Nov 2, 2005
REHBERG, DENNY
· Nov 2, 2005
 I
Sanders, Bernard
Vermont · Oct 28, 2005
 R
Rogers, Mike D.
Alabama · Oct 18, 2005
Cite this page click to expand
APA
U.S. Congress. (2026). H.R. 3949: Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act. 109th Congress. Open America. https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3949/
MLA
"H.R. 3949: Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act." 109th Congress, 2026, Open America, https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3949/.
Bluebook (legal)
H.R. 3949, 109th Cong. (2026), https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3949/.
Markdown link
[H.R. 3949: Volunteer Firefighter and EMS Personnel Job Protection Act](https://openamerica.io/bill/109-HR-3949/)
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