H. B. 2341


(By Delegates Smirl, Hutchins, Amores, Leggett and Pino)

[Introduced February 2, 1995; referred to the

Committee on Finance.]





A BILL to amend article five, chapter fifteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated section fifteen-a, relating to emergency services; and authorizing paid leave for a state employee who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross, in certain specified circumstances.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That article five, chapter fifteen of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section fifteen-a, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 5. EMERGENCY SERVICES.
§15-5-15a. Paid leave for disaster service volunteers.

Any state employee who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross may be granted leave from his or her state employment with pay, for not more than fifteen work days in each year, to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the American Red Cross. Leave shall be granted under this section upon the request of the American Red Cross for the services of that employee and upon the approval of that employee's immediate supervisor, without loss of pay, annual leave, sick leave, earned overtime compensation, seniority or compensatory time. The state shall compensate an employee granted leave under this section at the employee's regular rate of pay for those regular work hours during which the employee is absent from his or her state employment.



NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to authorize paid leave, not to exceed fifteen days per year, for any state employee who is an American Red Cross certified disaster relief volunteer and whose specialized disaster relief services are requested by the American Red Cross, and leave approved by the employee's supervision.

This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.