§78-27 Temporary inter- and intra-governmental assignments and exchanges. (a) With the approval of the respective employer, a governmental unit of this State may participate in any program of temporary inter- or intra-governmental assignments or exchanges of employees as a sending or receiving agency. "Agency" means any local, national, or foreign governmental agency or private agency with government sponsored programs or projects.

(b) As a sending agency, a governmental unit of this State may consider its employee on a temporary assignment or exchange as being on detail to a regular work assignment or on leave of absence without pay from the employee's position. The employee on temporary assignment or exchange shall be entitled to the same rights and benefits as any other employee of the sending agency.

(c) As a receiving agency, a governmental unit of this State shall not consider the employee on a temporary assignment or exchange who is detailed from the sending agency as its employee, except for the purpose of disability or death resulting from personal injury arising out of and in the course of the temporary assignment or exchange. The employee on detail may not receive a salary from the receiving agency, but the receiving agency may pay for or reimburse the sending agency for the costs, or any portion of the costs, of salaries, benefits, and travel and transportation expenses if it will benefit from the assignment or exchange.

(d) An agreement consistent with this section and policies of the employer shall be made between the sending and receiving agencies on matters relating to the assignment or exchange, including but not limited to supervision of duties, costs of salary and benefits, and travel and transportation expenses; provided that the agreement shall not diminish any rights or benefits to which an employee of a governmental unit of this State is entitled under this section.

(e) As a receiving agency, a governmental unit of this State may give the employee of the sending agency on a temporary assignment or exchange an exempt appointment and grant the employee rights and benefits as other exempt appointees of the receiving agency if it will benefit from the assignment or exchange. [L 2000, c 253, pt of §74]