Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that increases public safety regulations for railroad workers.

Highlights:

• Defines "operating craft employee" as an employee of a railroad carrier who performs service in an operating craft on a railroad or directs the work of an operating craft employee as a scheduled employee, and includes any other employee of a railroad carrier who performs safety-sensitive tasks associated with railroad operations (Sec. 2-1).

• Prohibits a railroad carrier from dismissing, suspending, laying off, demoting, or otherwise disciplining an employee because of absence due to illness or injury of the employee or the employee's spouse or child if (Sec. 3-1):

• The employee has completed three consecutive months of continuous employment by the railroad carrier before the absence;

• The period of absence does not exceed twelve weeks; and

• The employee, if requested in writing by the railroad carrier within ten days after the employee's return to work, provides the railroad carrier with documentation from a health care provider that the employee was incapable of working due to illness or injury of the employee or the employee's spouse or child during the employee's absence from work.

• Requires a railroad carrier must establish a fatigue layoff program under which an operating craft employee may lay off due to fatigue without being subjected to discipline or any type of availability or attendance policy (Sec. 4-2).

• Establishes an employee is entitled to a total of twelve workweeks of leave during any twelve months for one or more of the following (Sec. 9-1):

• Because of the birth of a child of the employee and to care for the child;

• Because of the placement of a child with the employee for adoption or foster care;

• To care for a family member of the employee, if the family member has a serious health condition; or

• Because of a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform the functions of the position of the employee.

• Specifies if spouses entitled to leave under this chapter are employed by the same employer, the aggregate number of workweeks of leave to which both may be entitled may be limited to twelve workweeks during any twelve monts, if such leave is taken (Sec. 13):

• For the birth or placement of a child; or 

• For a family member's serious health condition.

• Establishes any employee who takes leave on return from the leave is entitled to the following (Sec. 15):

• To be restored by the employer to the position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced; or

• To be restored to an equivalent position with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment at a workplace within twenty miles of the employee's workplace when the leave commenced.

Full Bill Text