2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 28 - MILITARY AND VETERANS (§§ 28-1-101 — 28-6-101) › EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS (§§ 28-1-101 — 28-2-101) › Article 1 - CIVIL AIR PATROL (§§ 28-1-101 — 28-1-106) › Section 28-1-104 - Public employees - leave of absence

(1)
Any member who is an officer or employee of the state or of any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or other public agency of the state and who is called to duty for a civil air patrol mission is entitled to a leave of absence from the member's office or employment for the time when the member is engaged in the civil air patrol mission without loss of pay, seniority, status, efficiency rating, vacation, sick leave, or other benefits. The leave without loss of pay that is allowed pursuant to this section shall not exceed a total of fifteen workdays in the leave year established by the employer; except that such leave without loss of pay shall be allowed only if the required civil air patrol service is satisfactorily performed, which shall be presumed unless the contrary is established.
(2)
The leave allowed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section shall be allowed only if the member returns to his or her public position the next scheduled workday after being relieved from service for the civil air patrol mission; except that leave shall be allowed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section if the member is unable to return to work due to injury or circumstances beyond the member's control and the member notifies the employer as soon as practicable, but prior to the next scheduled workday.
(3)
A state agency or any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or other public agency of the state may hire a temporary employee to fill a vacancy created by a leave of absence allowed pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.
(4)
Upon returning from a leave of absence allowed pursuant to this section, a member is entitled to return to the same position and classification held by the member before the leave of absence for the civil air patrol mission or to the position, including the geographic location of the position, and classification that the member would have been entitled to if the member did not take a leave of absence for the civil air patrol mission.
(5)
A member who is an officer or employee of the state or of any political subdivision, municipal corporation, or other public agency of the state, receiving a leave of absence pursuant to this section and having rights in any state, municipal, or other public pension, retirement, or relief system shall retain all of the rights accrued up to the time of taking the leave and shall have all rights subsequently accruing under such system as if the member did not take the leave. Any increase in the amount of money benefits accruing with respect to the time of the leave is dependent upon the payment of any contributions or assessments, and the right to the increase is dependent upon the payment of contributions or assessments within a reasonable time after the termination of the leave and upon such terms as the authorities in charge of the system may prescribe.
L. 2008: Entire section added, p. 609, § 1, effective August 5. L. 2009: (1) and (2) amended, (HB 09-1315), ch. 312, p. 1694, §3, effective August 5.