Paralyzed Veterans of America issued the following today:
Paralyzed Veterans of America Calls on the House and Senate to Pass the Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act
Paralyzed Veterans of America
voiced strong support January 27, 2015, for the bipartisan “Wounded
Warriors Federal Leave Act,” introduced by Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass)
in the House and Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) in the Senate.
The bill, which was passed by the House Oversight and Government
Reform committee, would allow service-connected disabled veterans who
become federal employees to accumulate paid sick leave during
treatment. The Wounded Warriors Federal Leave Act would credit veterans
with 104 hours starting out to make up for the accelerated rate of sick
leave these veterans use to receive treatment for service-incurred
disabilities, when compared with non-veteran federal employees. The bill
is now scheduled for a full House vote. If successfully passed, it will
go to the senate for consideration.
“Paralyzed Veterans of America has long sought to level the playing
field for veterans with disabling conditions who work, which most often
involves removing disability as a barrier to substantive employment,”
said Sherman Gillums, deputy executive director of Paralyzed Veterans of
America and director of the PAVE Program.
“This bill, if passed by Congress, will allow veterans who are in
transition or may be awaiting a VA disability rating to start a good
career while receiving regular medical care and treatment without
penalty. Presently, newly hired veterans must be placed in ‘leave
without pay’ status to keep appointments. But working a job versus
receiving treatment for service-incurred conditions should not be an
either-or proposition for those who’ve served."
Paralyzed Veterans now calls on the House of Representatives to
immediately consider and pass the "Wounded Warrior Federal Leave Act."
We also call on the Senate to quickly take up and pass the companion
bill--S. 242.
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