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Work Protection Measure for Volunteer Fire Fighters in Delaware

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WILMINGTON, Del. (AP) - Volunteer emergency responders in Delaware are benefiting from new measures designed to ensure that they are not penalized in their regular paid jobs for doing their volunteer duties.

Gov. Jack Markell is expected to sign a bill Friday prohibiting employers from firing or taking disciplinary action against employees who miss work because injuries sustained while serving as volunteer emergency responders.

A fire official said earlier this year that the legislation was prompted by the case of a firefighter fired by a private employer after missing work because of burns to his hands sustained while fighting a house fire.

Markell is also signing another bill prohibiting employers from refusing to hire, firing, or discriminating in pay or working conditions against volunteer firefighters and ambulance crews because of their volunteer service.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.