AUGUSTA - On Monday, August 8, three key bills to protect employee benefits and enhance access to emergency medicine, sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder, D-Bangor, will go into effect.
LD 225 requires employers to pay employees unused accrued vacation time upon the cessation of their employment. Employers with 10 or fewer employees and public employers, including the University of Maine System and the Maine Community College System, will not be subject to this new law.
LD 912 extends family medical leave to hourly school employees, including bus drivers, school secretaries and cafeteria staff, who have worked at least 900 hours in the previous 12-month period.
"In my time serving on the Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee, I've listened to similar stories from many workers whose benefits are either non-existent or inadequate," said Roeder. "Our workers are our state's greatest asset, and these two new laws will help to protect and enhance their benefits. I look forward to continuing to support fair labor measures in the next legislative session."
LD 1776 allows pharmacists to dispense emergency supplies of chronic maintenance medications used to treat long-term conditions without a current, valid prescription from a health care provider so long as:
- The pharmacy has a previous record of the prescription;
- The pharmacist is unable to obtain authorization to refill the prescription from the patient's health care provider;
- The medication is necessary to sustain the life of the patient; and
- The amount of medication dispensed is limited to a 30-day supply.
"As someone living with a chronic medical condition, I was proud to work on legislation for those who find themselves in need of crucial emergency medical supplies," said Roeder. "This new law will help community members better access the medicine they need to manage their health and avoid a medical crisis."
Roeder is serving her first term in the Maine House of Representatives and is a member of the Legislature's Labor and Housing Committee.
Contact:
Katie Walsh [Roeder], c. 776-2122