House Bill 1382

AN ACT TO PROVIDE THAT ALL OFFICERS AND EMPLOYEES OF ANY PUBLIC OR PRIVATE BUSINESS OR INDUSTRY WHO ARE ACTIVE MEMBERS OF THE MISSISSIPPI WING OF THE CIVIL AIR PATROL SHALL BE ENTITLED TO A LEAVE OF ABSENCE FROM THEIR RESPECTIVE CIVIL DUTIES AND OCCUPATIONS ON ALL DAYS DURING WHICH THEY PARTICIPATE IN EMERGENCY RELIEF EFFORTS DUE TO A CATASTROPHIC EVENT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. (1) All officers and employees of any department, agency, or institution of the State of Mississippi, or of any county, municipality, or other political subdivision, or employees of any public or private business or industry, who are active members of the Mississippi Wing of the Civil Air Patrol, shall be entitled to a leave of absence from their respective duties, without loss of rank of pay, time, annual leave, or efficiency rating, on all days during which they participate in emergency relief efforts due to a catastrophic event.

All such officers and employees shall be entitled to leave of absence from their respective duties without loss of time, annual leave, or efficiency rating until relieved from duty, and shall, when relieved from such duty, be restored to the positions held by them when ordered to duty, or a position of like seniority, status and pay, provided that such person shall:

(a) Still be qualified to perform the duties of such position; and

(b) Make application for re-employment within ninety (90) days after such person is relieved from such emergency response services, for a period of not more than one (1) year for causes attributable to such services.

(2) Any person restored to a position under the above provisions shall not be discharged from such position without cause within one (1) year after restoration. The fact that there has been a change of administration affecting any position with the State of Mississippi, or any county, city, town, political subdivision, or any state institution thereof, or any public or private business or industry, shall in no manner affect or deny to such person his or her former position, and regardless of any limitation on the number of employees, such person shall be re-employed.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022.