Employers would provide leave for Civil Air Patrol service and training

Public and private employers would provide Civil Air Patrol leave each year. Eligible employees who belong to the Civil Air Patrol could receive at least 30 days for emergency operations and at least 10 days for training or proficiency activities. The leave could support emergency missions for other states or Civil Air Patrol units only with prior approval from the employer and the employee’s wing commander or designee. Public employers would pay for all Civil Air Patrol leave at the employee’s current pay rate. Private employers could make the leave paid or unpaid. Employers could grant extra days or move up to five days between the emergency-operation and training categories. The leave would be available for qualifying events occurring on or after October 1, 2026, with the full yearly amount available at the start of each calendar year and unused days expiring at year’s end.

Employees would notify employers about their Civil Air Patrol membership and follow return-to-work and documentation rules. The requirements would apply to Civil Air Patrol members using leave for emergency operations or training. Employees would report membership within 30 days of accepting a job, or within 30 days after the effective date if they are current members. After an emergency operation, employees would tell their employer within eight hours that they plan to return and would return within 18 hours or at the start of their next regular workday, whichever is later. Employers could require advance notice, participation approval, and proof of training or emergency-operation participation. Employees using leave could keep their benefits and generally return to the same or an equivalent job, pay, and benefits. These duties and protections would apply to qualifying events occurring on or after October 1, 2026.

Employers could deny or withhold leave in specified public-safety and essential-worker situations, while employees could sue for violations. The limits would apply when an employee must respond to another emergency as emergency personnel or has been designated essential; enforcement would cover violations of the leave rules. An employer would not have to grant leave when the employee must respond to the same or another emergency as a first responder, emergency manager, or other emergency-services worker. An employer could deny leave to an essential employee when the absence would harm or disrupt operations. An employee could file a civil action within one year in the county where the employee works and could seek reinstatement, benefits, equitable relief, and back wages if the employee is a public worker. The exceptions and enforcement rules would apply to qualifying events occurring on or after October 1, 2026.