Montana employers now can’t prohibit or restrict an employee from seeking public office or discriminate against them for doing so. Additionally, employees can’t be required to use employer-provided benefits (e.g., PTO) or perform any work while they’re on leave as an elected official.

During an employee’s leave, employers need to continue providing healthcare coverage and allow them to keep using employer-provided phones, phone numbers, and computers.

This law was made retroactively effective to January 1, 2025.

Action Item
If you have an elected official leave policy, update it.