Report Title:

Disaster Relief; Paid Leave

 

Description:

Authorizes paid leave for state and county employees responding to disasters for the American Red Cross.

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

23

TWENTY-FIRST LEGISLATURE, 2001

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

RELATING TO DISASTER RELIEF.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. Chapter 79, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§79-   Paid leave for state and county employees providing disaster relief services for the American Red Cross. (a) The governor or mayor or their respective designee may grant a state or county employee, who is a certified American Red Cross disaster volunteer, up to thirty days of paid leave of absence to perform disaster relief services for the American Red Cross, a federally chartered nongovernment disaster relief organization, when a disaster has been:

(1) Designated as level III or higher by American Red Cross regulations;

(2) Officially declared by the President of the United States; or

(3) Declared a state of emergency by the governor;

provided that the employee has prior authorization from the governor or mayor, as applicable, and the leave of absence imposes no undue hardship on state or county operations.

(b) Employees granted leaves of absence pursuant to this section shall be paid at their regular rates of pay for those regular hours during which the employees are absent from work, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation, sick leave, or earned overtime accumulations.

(c) Except as provided in sections 128-15 and 128-17, the State or counties, as applicable, shall not be liable for workers' compensation claims arising from accident or injury while the employee is on assignment as a certified American Red Cross disaster service volunteer."

SECTION 2. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 3. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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