(a)

(1) All employees of the state, as defined in § 21-4-203, or of any of its political subdivisions, who desire to take a leave of absence for the purpose of participating in the military training programs made available by the National Guard or any of the reserve and auxiliary branches of the armed forces and all state employees who are members of the United States Public Health Service Inactive Reserve Corps who desire to take a leave of absence for the purpose of participating in the civil defense and public health training programs made available by the United States Public Health Service shall be entitled to such a leave of absence for a period of fifteen (15) days plus necessary travel time for annual training requirements or other duties performed in an official duty status in any one (1) calendar year.

(2) To the extent this leave is not used in a calendar year, it will accumulate for use in the succeeding calendar year until it totals fifteen (15) days at the beginning of the calendar year.

(b)

(1) Whenever any employee is granted a leave of absence under the provisions of this section, he or she shall be entitled to his or her regular salary during the time he or she is away from his or her duties during such leave of absence.

(2) The leave of absence shall be in addition to the regular vacation time allowed to the employee.

(c)

(1) Employees called to duty in emergency situations by the Governor or by the President of the United States shall be granted leave with pay not to exceed thirty (30) working days, after which leave without pay will be granted. This leave shall be granted in addition to all other leave the employee shall be entitled to.

(2) "Emergency situations" shall have the same meaning as in § 21-4-212.

(d)

(1) During a leave of absence, the employee shall be entitled to preserve all seniority rights, efficiency or performance ratings, promotional status, retirement privileges, life and disability insurance benefits, and any other rights, privileges, and benefits to which they have become entitled.

(2) The period of military service shall, for purposes of computations to determine whether such person may be entitled to retirement benefits, be deemed continuous service and the employee shall not be required to make contributions to any retirement fund.

(3) The state or political subdivision shall continue to contribute its portion of any life or disability insurance premiums during the leave of absence on behalf of the employee, if requested, so that continuous coverage may be maintained.

(e) Whenever any employee of a political subdivision is granted military leave for a period of fifteen (15) days per calendar year or fiscal year under the provisions of this section, the military leave will accumulate for use in succeeding calendar years or fiscal years until it totals fifteen (15) days at the beginning of the calendar year or fiscal year, for a maximum number of military leave days available in any one (1) calendar year or fiscal year to be thirty (30) days.