38:23-2. The head of every public department and of every court of this State, every superintendent or foreman on the public works of this State, the heads of the county offices of the several counties and the head of every department, bureau and office in the government of the various municipalities, shall give a leave of absence with pay to every person in the service of the State, county or municipality who is a duly authorized representative of the Grand Army of the Republic, United Spanish-American War Veterans, Disabled American Veterans, Disabled American Veterans’ Auxiliary, Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ladies Auxiliaries of Veterans of Foreign Wars, Ladies Auxiliary, Veterans of World War I of the U.S.A., American Gold Star Mothers, Indian War Veterans, American Legion, American Legion Auxiliary, Jewish War Veterans of the United States, Ladies Auxiliary, Department of New Jersey, Jewish War Veterans of the U.S.A., Catholic War Veterans of the United States, Ladies Auxiliary of New Jersey State Department, Catholic War Veterans, The 369th Veterans Association, Incorporated, Women’s Overseas Service League, American Veterans of World War Two, Korea and Vietnam, and AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, Reserve Officers Association of the United States, Marine Corps League of the United States, Army and Navy Legion of Valor, the Twenty-ninth Division Association, Council of State Employees, War Veteran Public Employees Association, New Jersey Civil Service Association, Blind Veterans Association of New Jersey, Army and Air National Guard Association of New Jersey, The National Guard Association of the United States, The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Navy League, Veterans of World War I of the United States of America, Polish Legion of American Veterans, Polish Legion of American Veterans, Ladies Auxiliary, the Italian American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated, the Ladies Auxiliary, Italian American War Veterans of the United States, Incorporated, the New Jersey Firemen’s Association, the New Jersey State Exempt Firemen’s Association and the Tuskegee Airmen, Incorporated, to attend any State or national convention of such organization.

A certificate of attendance to the State convention or encampment shall, upon request, be submitted by the representative so attending.

Leave of absence shall be for a period inclusive of the duration of the convention with a reasonable time allowed for time to travel to and from the convention. No person shall be entitled to a total of more than five days’ leave of absence with pay each calendar year for the purpose of attending, as authorized representative, the State or national convention of one or more of the above enumerated organizations. The leaves of absence authorized hereunder shall not be cumulative and any unused leaves shall be canceled at the end of any given year.

Amended 1940,c.25; 1945,c.176; 1947,c.271; 1948,c.404,ss.1,2; 1951,c.219; 1952,c.207; 1954,c.114; 1955,c.149; 1962,c.32,s.1; 1962,c.210,s.1; 1963,c.63,s.1; 1964,c.145; 1965,c.181; 1966,c.232,s.1; 1967,c.233; 1975,c.263; 1975,c.332; 1977,c.106; 1993,c.79.