0252-sb 0136

CHAPTER 252

SB 136 -FN - FINAL VERSION

AN ACT allowing certain state employees to take paid leave to participate in disaster relief service work.

SPONSORS: Sen. Fraser, Dist 4

This bill allows a state employee who is a certified disaster relief services volunteer to take paid leave, if requested for service by the American Red Cross and authorized by the employee's supervisor, for not more than 15 working days in a fiscal year in order to participate in specialized disaster relief service work.

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Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

AN ACT allowing certain state employees to take paid leave to participate in disaster relief service work.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

I. Disaster leave for state employees will increase the number of local, trained, and experienced disaster workers. Training and expenses for participating employees are provided by the American Red Cross at no cost to the state or to the volunteers and leave days for employees are limited and require approval from their supervisor to assure orderly granting of requests based on competing demands. Experience on disaster assignments is an opportunity for state employees to learn new skills and gain supervisory experience that will benefit them personally, their agencies, and the citizens they serve. Their experience and training will make them ready to immediately serve when a disaster event occurs.

II. The American Red Cross is a private, nonprofit, volunteer-led organization chartered by Congress to provide relief to victims of disasters of all sizes. It receives no disaster funding from the government and distributes relief aid as a gift. Trained volunteers provide aid to those affected by disaster in the form of food, clothing, temporary housing, and some home repair.

III. A volunteer who provides disaster relief activities for the American Red Cross must be certified as a disaster relief volunteer of the American Red Cross, registered with a local chapter, trained in Red Cross disaster relief, and authorized by the local chapter to perform the functions associated with Red Cross disaster relief. All training is provided by the American Red Cross to volunteers during non-work hours.

252:2 New Section; State Employees; Disaster Relief Services Leave. Amend RSA 94 by inserting after section 3-b the following new section:

I. Any state employee who is a certified disaster relief service volunteer of the American Red Cross may, with the authorization of the employee's supervisor, be granted leave not to exceed 15 working days in any fiscal year to participate in specialized disaster relief service work if:

(b) The disaster is designated as level III or above according to the American National Red Cross regulations and procedures.

II. An employee granted leave under this section shall not lose seniority, accumulated vacation leave, sick leave, or earned overtime. In addition, the employee shall be paid the employee's regular pay based on regular work hours during the leave.

III. The state shall not be liable for workers' compensation claims of the employee arising out of the disaster relief service work performed pursuant to this section.

AN ACT allowing certain state employees to take paid leave to participate in disaster relief service work.

The Department of Administrative Services indicates this bill, as amended by the House, may increase state expenditures by an indeterminable amount in FY 2001 and each year thereafter. There is no impact on state, county and local revenue or county and local expenditures.

The Department is unable to determine in advance, how many, if any, certified disaster relief service volunteers of the American Red Cross may, with authorization of the state employee's supervisor, use up to 15 working days to participate in services as outlined in this bill. Expenditures will increase to the extent the employee is replaced for the granted day(s) of leave.