Sec. 26. 5 MRSA §7051, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2001, c. 662, §§1 to 3, is further amended to read:

4. Employees in military service; substitutes. Whenever any employee, regularly employed in other than a temporary position for a period of at least 6 months by the State or by any department, bureau, commission or office of the State, or by the University of Maine System, technical colleges Maine Community College System, Maine School Building Authority, Maine Turnpike Authority, Finance Authority of Maine or any other state or quasi-state agency, or by any county, municipality, township or school district within the State shall in time of war, contemplated war, emergency or limited emergency, enlist enlists, enroll enrolls, be is called or ordered or be drafted into the Armed Forces of the United States or any branch or unit thereof, or shall be is regularly drafted under federal manpower regulations, the employee shall may not be deemed or held to have thereby resigned from or abandoned employment, nor shall may be removable during the period of service. "Temporary," for the purpose of this section, means employment based on a seasonal or on-call basis or employment based on a contract of less than 6 months' duration.

E. When a permanent classified employee is on extended leave, a substitute may be employed, subject to personnel rules, until return or separation of the incumbent.

Sec. 27. 5 MRSA §7054, sub-§4, as amended by PL 1989, c. 443, §12, is further amended to read:

4. Retention preference. In any reduction in personnel in the state service, veteran preference employees shall must be retained in preference to all other competing employees in the same classification with equal seniority, status and service ratings.

In determining qualifications for examination and appointment with respect to veteran preference eligibles under this section, the director or other examining agency may waive requirements as to age, height and weight, provided that any such requirement is not essential to the performance of the duties of the position for which examination is given. The director or other examining agency, after giving due consideration to the recommendation of any accredited physician, may waive the physical requirements in the case of any veteran, provided that the veteran is, in the opinion of the director or other examining agency, physically