(a)  Any state employee who is a certified disaster volunteer of the American Red Cross may be granted leave work with pay for not more than ten (10) working days each calendar year to participate in specialized disaster relief service for the American Red Cross, upon the request of the American Red Cross through the state office of emergency management. Leave may be taken upon the request of the American Red Cross and upon the approval of the employee’s supervisor, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation leave, compensatory time, personal business leave, sick leave, or earned overtime accumulation. The state agency may 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 work.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 28-49-3

  • Disaster: means a fire, flood, hurricane, blizzard, tornado, or other such occurrence where the victims cannot recover without assistance. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-49-2
  • Employee: means any person who has entered into the employment of or works under contract of service or apprenticeship with any employer, except that in the case of a city or town other than the city of Providence it shall only mean that class or those classes of employees as may be designated by a city, town, or regional school district in a manner provided in this chapter to receive compensation under chapters 29 — 38 of this title. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-29-2
  • State agency: means any state office, or officer, department, board, commission, institution, bureau, or any agency, division, or unit within any office, department, board, or commission or other state authority. See Rhode Island General Laws 28-49-2

(b)  An employee deemed to be on leave under this section shall not be deemed to be an employee of the state for purposes of workers’ compensation. Leave under the chapter shall be granted only for service related to a disaster within the state of Rhode Island. Leave under this chapter shall not be granted for the purpose of obtaining training.

History of Section.
P.L. 1995, ch. 37, § 1.