On Veterans Day when we honor veterans who served this country, many veterans don’t get the day off and must work while employees working for government and financial institutions have the day off. Chances are many of those employees of those institutions never served a day in uniform, yet enjoy a paid holiday.
Washington state lawmakers should write and pass legislation mandating private employers who employ at least one honorably discharged veteran to give them a paid Veterans Day off without requiring the veteran to use accrued vacation, sick leave, etc. If the veteran wants to work on Veterans Day, then holiday pay should be given. Oregon and Iowa have laws that allow veterans Veterans Day off, but those laws are skewed to the employers advantage (employer decides if veteran gets Veterans Day off, if the veteran gets paid for Veterans Day, etc.,) they become meaningless and insulting to working veterans. It is past time private employers give their veterans a paid Veterans Day off and the Legislature must step in to make it happen.
Scott Rogers
Everett
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