From the effective date of this section, if any deputy sheriff is required to work during a legal holiday as specified in section one, article two, chapter two of this code, or if a legal holiday falls on the deputy sheriff's regular scheduled day off, the sheriff shall decide either that, the deputy sheriff shall be allowed equal time off at a time approved by the sheriff under whom the deputy sheriff serves, or in the alternative, shall be paid at a rate not less than one and one-half times the deputy sheriff's regular rate of pay.