Employers in Oregon must give employees who are veterans time off for Veterans Day under Senate Bill 1, signed into law by Gov. John Kitzhaber on April 4, 2013.
Under the law, businesses must provide paid or unpaid time off for Veterans Day if the employee would otherwise be required to work on that day and the employee provides (a) at least three weeks' notice that he or she intends to take time off for Veterans Day and (b) documents showing that he or she is a veteran as defined by Oregon statute.
To take leave under the law, the veteran must have served on active duty in the armed forces for at least six months and received an honorable discharge. If the individual served in a reserve or National Guard unit, the employee is not qualified for leave unless he or she was deployed or served on active duty for at least six months.
The company must notify the employee, at least 14 days before Veterans Day, whether he or she will receive time off for Veterans Day and whether the time off will be paid or unpaid. If the employer determines that providing time off on this holiday would cause significant economic or operational disruption or undue hardship, the employer is not required to comply with the law.
If the employer determines that, because of significant economic or operational disruption or undue hardship, it cannot provide time off to all the veterans who request it, the employer must deny time off to all employees who requested it or deny time off to the minimum number of employees the employer needs to avoid significant economic or operational disruption or undue hardship.
If a veteran does not receive time off on Veterans Day, the employer must allow the worker, with approval, to take a single day off within one year of that holiday in order to honor the employee's military service. (Source: This SHRM Online story is no longer available.)
Effective date: 4/4/13
Text of the measure
Additional Resources
OREGON Q&A: What happens when Veterans Day falls on a Saturday?
Vigilant | Nov 2017
Oregon Employers Must Allow Veterans Time Off
Bryant, Lovlien & Jarvis | Nov 2013
In Oregon, Veterans are Entitled to a Day Off Work on Veterans Day
Wyse | Jun 2013
Ooh-Rah! Veterans Day Gets a Little Sweeter for Oregon Veterans
Bullivant Houser Bailey | Oct 2013
Veterans Day Mandatory Holiday for Oregon Employers
Tonken Torp | Oct 2013
Are veterans entitled to time off on Veterans Day?
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