AI-assisted research summary: State and county officials, officers, employees, and accepted volunteers are treated as emergency workers for covered duty, and certain compensation, leave, retirement, and benefit rights are protected.
(a) All state and county officials, officers, and employees are considered "emergency workers" and shall perform functions as determined by their respective state or county department director during emergencies or disasters. (b) If any state or county official, officer, or employee is engaged in carrying out this chapter in lieu of the official, officer, or employee's regular office or employment, the amount of the official, officer, or employee's compensation shall not be adversely affected, and the official, officer, or employee's rights in or under the laws relating to vacation and leave, the retirement system, civil service or the like, shall not be adversely affected. (c) All persons, including volunteers whose services have been accepted by authorized persons, while engaged in the performance of duty pursuant to this chapter, including duty performed during exercises and training, shall be deemed state employees if the performance of duty is for the State, or county employees if the performance of duty is for the county, and shall have the powers, duties, rights, and privileges of such in the performance of their duties, except as may be prescribed by or under the authority of the governor or the mayor, pursuant to this chapter. (d) In case of injury or death arising out of and in the performance of duty pursuant to this chapter, including duty performed during periods of training, all persons having the status of official, officer, or employee of the State or county, pursuant to this section, and their dependents, shall be entitled to all of the benefits provided in chapter 386, including medical services and supplies, and in case of injury or death, no public official shall be excluded from the coverage of chapter 386 by reason of being an elected official. For the purposes of the benefits, average weekly wages shall be computed upon the basis set forth in section 386-51, or upon the basis of earnings from the usual employment of the person, or upon the basis of earnings at the rate of $20 per week, whichever is most favorable to the claimant or claimants. The costs thereof, in cases of state employees, shall be a charge upon the state insurance fund and, in cases of county employees, shall be a charge upon the county insurance fund; provided that the governor or mayor may effect such insurance in respect of the obligations assumed pursuant to this section and as may be available under any mutual aid agreement or act of Congress. Nothing herein shall adversely affect the right of any person to receive any benefits or compensation under any act of Congress. [L 2014, c 111, pt of §2]