Volunteer Firefighters, Reserve Police Officers, and Emergency Rescue Personnel Leave

Purpose

California Labor Code section 230.3 entitles County employees to time off to perform emergency duty as a volunteer firefighter, reserve police officer or emergency rescue personnel. In addition, California Labor Code Section 230.4 entitles County employees to time off for engaging in firefighting, law enforcement, or emergency response training.

Definitions

Volunteer firefighter is defined as an employee who is registered as a volunteer member of a regularly organized fire department of a city, county, city and county, or district which has the official recognition of the local governmental body.

Emergency Rescue Personnel is defined as any person who is an officer, employee, or member of a fire department or fire protection or firefighting agency, whether that person is a volunteer, or partly or fully paid. This includes firefighting agencies of the United States, California, and all city, county, city and county, district, or other public or municipal corporation, sheriff's department, police department, or private fire department. It also includes a volunteer who is partially or fully paid while providing the emergency services.

Policy

Eligibility

Any County employee who is a volunteer firefighter, reserve police officer or emergency rescue personnel is eligible.

Entitlement

There is no limit to the duration, timing or frequency of leaves for emergency duty. For the purpose of engaging in fire, law enforcement or emergency rescue training, an employee may take leave of up to fourteen (14) days per calendar year.

Use of Balances

An employee must use all vacation, compensatory time off (CTO) and holiday-in-lieu (HIL) balances before unpaid leave is authorized. Sick leave accruals may not be used.

Request Procedure

An employee must give reasonable notice prior to taking the time off, in accordance with department procedures. The employee must provide documentation of their status as a registered volunteer firefighter, law enforcement officer, or emergency rescue personnel. No verification is necessary for emergency duty.

Important

Any employee who provides public safety or emergency medical services for the County is not entitled to take time off when the employee's absence would hinder the availability of public safety or emergency medical services.