Montana Adds Protections for Volunteer Firefighters and EMTs

Beginning October 1, 2025, employers of all sizes will be prohibited from terminating employees because they're volunteer emergency services providers. Employers will also be prohibited from terminating employees when they're late to work or absent due to acting in that capacity. A volunteer emergency services provider means a volunteer firefighter or volunteer medical technician.

Employers can decide whether an employee is allowed to leave work to respond to an emergency if they've already started their workday. Additionally, employers can require employees to request and receive permission to be late or absent if their absence would pose a risk to public safety or prevent the employer from performing an essential function. Employers don't need to extend these protections to employees in their probationary period, but certainly can in the interest of public safety.

Employers can require notice that an employee is a volunteer emergency service provider and can also request a note from the employee's emergency response supervisor that they missed work during a given day and time due to service.

Action Items:

• Add a policy to your handbook if you don't already have one.

• Ensure that employees and managers are made aware of these protections and any notice requirements by October 1, 2025.