105.267. Red Cross and other emergency management agency recognized volunteers granted leave during disasters--procedure--definition--additional employees granted leave, when.

Red Cross and other emergency management agency recognized volunteersgranted leave during disasters--procedure--definition--additionalemployees granted leave, when.

105.267. 1. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, anyemployee of an agency of the state of Missouri, who has been certified bythe American Red Cross or certified by a volunteer organization with adisaster service commitment recognized by the state emergency managementagency as a disaster service volunteer, may be granted leave from work withpay to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the AmericanRed Cross or such volunteer organization, not to exceed a total oftwenty-five full-time equivalent state employees for a total of one hundredtwenty work hours in any fiscal year for each full-time equivalentemployee. The employee shall be released from work to participate inspecialized disaster relief services upon request from an authorizedrepresentative of the American Red Cross or such volunteer organization forsuch employee and upon the approval of such employee's appointingauthority. The appointing authority shall compensate an employee grantedleave pursuant to this section at the employee's regular rate of pay forregular work hours during which the employee is absent from the employee'sregular place of employment for the state of Missouri. Any leave grantedpursuant to this section shall not affect the employee's leave status.

2. Before any payment of salary is made covering the period of theleave, the authorized representative of the American Red Cross or suchvolunteer organization, pursuant to subsection 1 of this section, shallfile with the appointing authority or supervising agency evidence that suchemployee participated in specialized disaster relief services during thetime such leave pay is granted.

3. No certified disaster service volunteer shall be discharged fromemployment because of such person's status as a certified disaster servicevolunteer nor shall such employee be discriminated against or dissuadedfrom volunteering or continuing such service as a certified disaster reliefvolunteer. For the purposes of this section, the term "certified disastervolunteer" means a person who has completed the necessary training for, andhas been certified as, a disaster service specialist by the American RedCross or such volunteer organization, pursuant to subsection 1 of thissection.

4. Upon written order of the governor, additional employees, not toexceed twenty-five full-time equivalent state employees, may be grantedleave pursuant to this section to participate in specialized disasterrelief services for disasters occurring within this state.

(L. 1995 H.B. 80, A.L. 1999 H.B. 368, A.L. 2003 S.B. 426, A.L. 2005 S.B. 71)