H. B. 2341
(By Delegates Smirl, Hutchins, Amores, Leggett and Pino)
[Introduced January 10, 1996; 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.