Administrative leave for disaster service volunteers.

(1) SHORT TITLE.—This section may be cited as the “Florida Disaster Volunteer Leave Act.”

(2) DEFINITIONS.—As used in this section, the term:

(a) “Disaster” means an event that results in a state of emergency, as declared by executive order or proclamation issued by the Governor of this state or any other state or territory of the United States.

(b) “Disaster area” means a location covered under a state of emergency, as declared by executive order or proclamation issued by the Governor of this state or any other state or territory of the United States.

(c) “State agency” means any official, officer, commission, board, authority, council, committee, or department of the executive branch of state government.

(d) “Volunteer” means an individual who has entered into an agreement with a tax-exempt nonprofit organization under s. 501(c)(3) or s. 501(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code to provide nonpaid services to a disaster area for disaster response or recovery.

(3) LEAVE OF ABSENCE.—An employee of a state agency may be granted a leave of absence with pay for no more than 120 working hours in any 12-month period to serve as a volunteer. Such leave of absence may be granted upon the request of the employee and upon approval of the employee’s employing agency after verifying the employee’s volunteer status. An employee granted leave under this section is not deemed to be an employee of the state for purposes of workers’ compensation. Leave under this section may be granted only for providing volunteer services related to a disaster occurring within the boundaries of this state, except that leave may be granted to an employee to provide volunteer services in response to a disaster occurring within the states or territories of the United States upon approval of the head of the employee’s employing agency. An employee who is granted leave under this section must attest to his or her employing agency that he or she has completed his or her volunteer service for a disaster, and must also specify the period of time for which he or she served as a volunteer for that event and a description of the disaster response or recovery services that the employee provided.