Legislative finding

It is the finding of the General Assembly that natural disasters and disasters created by human agency often arise suddenly and that cooperation among government agencies and volunteer service agencies is vital in coping with such emergencies. The General Assembly further finds that dedicated service by trained and experienced volunteers can help prevent loss and destruction of life and property and that it is in the interest of the state and the citizens of the state to allow certain state employees who are trained and experienced in disaster relief to provide such service for brief periods without loss of pay and benefits. History. — Code 1981, § 38-3-92, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 883, § 1. 38-3-93. Authorization for certain employees of state agencies to be granted leave from work with pay in order to participate in specialized disaster relief services. (a) An employee of a state agency who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross may be granted leave from his or 598 38-3-93 her work with pay for no more than 15 workdays in any 12 month period to participate in specialized disaster relief services for the American Red Cross, upon the request of the American Red Cross for the services of that employee and upon the approval of that employee’s agency and coordinated through the director of emergency management, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation time, compensatory time, sick time, or earned overtime accumulation. The state agency shall compensate an employee granted leave under this Code section at his or her regular rate of pay for those regular hours during which the employee is absent from work. Leave under this article shall be granted only for the services related to a disaster occurring within this state or in a contiguous state which has a reciprocal statutory provision. (b) An employee of a state agency who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the Civil Air Patrol Auxiliary of the United States Air Force may be granted leave from his or her work with pay for no more than 15 workdays in any 12 month period to participate in specialized emergency services operations for the Civil Air Patrol Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, upon the request of the Civil Air Patrol Auxiliary of the United States Air Force after being activated by a county emergency management agency, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, or a comparable federal agency for the services of that employee and upon the approval of that employee’s agency and coordinated through the director of emergency management, without loss of seniority, pay, vacation time, compensatory time, sick time, or earned overtime accumulation. This provision applies only to service rendered on a numbered mission in support of a county emergency management agency, the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency, or a comparable federal agency. The state agency shall compensate an employee granted leave under this Code section at his or her regular rate of pay for those regular hours during which the employee is absent from work. Leave under this article shall be granted only for the services related to a disaster occurring within this state or in a contiguous state which has a reciprocal statutory provision. History. — Code 1981, § 38-3-93, enacted by Ga. L. 1998, p. 883, § 1; Ga. L. 2020, p. 731, § 2/HB 487. The 2020 amendment, effective January 1, 2021, designated the existing provisions as subsection (a), substituted ‘‘no more than’’ for ‘‘not to exceed’’ in the first sentence of subsection (a), and added subsection (b). Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2020, p. 731, § 1/HB 487, not codified by the General Assembly, provides that: ‘‘This Act shall be known and may be cited as the ‘Robert Argo Disaster Volunteer Relief Act.’ ’’ 599 T.38, C.3, A.7 MILITARY, EMERG. & VET. AFFAIRS 38-3-141 ARTICLE 7 STATE-WIDE ALERT SYSTEM FOR MISSING DISABLED ADULTS 38-3-110 through 38-3-119. Redesignated. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2008, p. 233, § 1/SB 202, effective July 1, 2008, redesignated Code Sections 38-3-110 through 38-3-119 as Code Sections through 35-3-180, respectively. 35-3-170 ARTICLE 8 ALERT SYSTEM FOR UNAPPREHENDED MURDER OR RAPE SUSPECTS 38-3-120. Redesignated.