82-B - Emergency service volunteers; paid leave.

§  82-b. Emergency service volunteers; paid leave. Notwithstanding any  other provisions of law to the contrary, public officers  and  employees  of  the  state  who  are certified by the American Red Cross as disaster  volunteers shall be granted leave from work with pay to  participate  in  specialized  disaster  relief  operations  upon written request for such  services by the American Red Cross and upon the approval  of  the  chief  administrative  officer  of  the  state agency, department or bureau for  which the public officer or  employee  serves.  The  public  officer  or  employee  shall  be  compensated  at  his or her regular rate of pay for  those regular work hours during which the public officer or employee  is  absent  from work while participating in authorized specialized disaster  relief  operations.  Such  leave  shall  be  provided  without  loss  of  seniority,  compensation,  sick  leave, vacation leave or other overtime  compensation to which the volunteer is otherwise entitled and shall  not  exceed twenty days in any calendar year.