Sec. 3. (a) A public servant who knowingly or intentionally:

(1) hires an employee for the governmental entity that the public servant serves; and

(2) fails to assign to the employee any duties, or assigns to the employee any duties not related to the operation of the governmental entity;

commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony.

(b) A public servant who knowingly or intentionally assigns to an employee under the public servant's supervision any duties not related to the operation of the governmental entity that the public servant serves commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony.

(c) A person employed by a governmental entity who, knowing that the person has not been assigned any duties to perform for the entity, accepts property from the entity commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony.

(d) A person employed by a governmental entity who knowingly or intentionally accepts property from the entity for the performance of duties not related to the operation of the entity commits ghost employment, a Level 6 felony.

(e) Any person who accepts property from a governmental entity in violation of this section and any public servant who permits the payment of property in violation of this section are jointly and severally liable to the governmental entity for that property. The attorney general may bring a civil action to recover that property in the county where the governmental entity is located or the person or public servant resides.

(f) For the purposes of this section, an employee of a governmental entity who voluntarily performs services:

(1) that do not:

(A) promote religion;

(B) attempt to influence legislation or governmental policy; or

(C) attempt to influence elections to public office;

(2) for the benefit of:

(A) another governmental entity; or

(B) an organization that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code;

(3) with the approval of the employee's supervisor; and

(4) in compliance with a policy or regulation that:

(A) is in writing;

(B) is issued by the executive officer of the governmental entity; and

(C) contains a limitation on the total time during any calendar year that the employee may spend performing the services during normal hours of employment;

is considered to be performing duties related to the operation of the governmental entity.

As added by P.L.126-2012, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.158-2013, SEC.498.