Sec. 2. (a) The police chief or fire chief may be granted a leave of absence by the authority who appointed the police chief or fire chief. This appointing authority may also grant a leave of absence to any other full-time, fully paid police officer or firefighter.

(b) A leave of absence under subsection (a) shall be granted for service in the Indiana general assembly. A leave of absence under subsection (a) may also be granted for service in any other elected office or for one (1) of the following reasons:

(1) Sickness.

(2) Disability.

(3) Sabbatical purposes.

However, a leave of absence because of disability may not be granted to a member of the 1977 fund under this subsection unless a leave granted under subsection (g) has expired without disability benefits having been paid from the 1977 fund. In the case of such an expiration, a leave for purposes of disability may be granted under this subsection but only until the member's eligibility for disability benefits is finally determined.

(c) Before a leave of absence may be granted for sabbatical purposes, the member must submit a written request explaining and justifying the leave to the appointing authority. Sabbatical purposes must be related to the improvement of the member's professional performance and skills, such as education, special training, work related experience, and exchange programs.

(d) This subsection applies to leaves of absence granted under subsection (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3). A leave of absence may extend for a period of not more than one (1) year, determined by the appointing authority, and may be renewed upon written request of the member.

(e) This subsection applies to leaves of absence granted for service in an elected office. A police officer or firefighter who serves in the general assembly shall be granted a leave for the time spent in this service, including the time spent for committee or legislative council meetings. Except as provided in IC 3-5-9, a police officer or firefighter who serves in any other elected office may be granted a leave for the time spent in this service. Leave for service in an elected office does not diminish a police officer's or firefighter's rights under the police officer's or firefighter's retirement or pension fund, except as provided in section 10 of this chapter, or advancement on the police officer's or firefighter's department salary schedule. For these purposes, the police officer or firefighter is, despite the leave, considered to be a member of the department during that time.

(f) This subsection applies to leaves of absence granted under subsection (b)(1), (b)(2), or (b)(3). A member on leave may receive compensation in an amount determined by the appointing authority, up to a maximum amount that equals the member's salary before the leave began.

(g) This subsection applies only to members of the 1977 fund. The local board may grant a leave of absence for purposes of disability to full-time, fully paid police officers or firefighters (including the police chief or fire chief). The leave is subject to the following conditions:

(1) The police chief or fire chief must make a written determination that there is no suitable and available work on the appropriate department for which the fund member is or may be capable of becoming qualified.

(2) The leave must be approved by the local board after a hearing conducted under IC 36-8-8-12.7.

(3) The leave may not begin until the police officer or firefighter has exhausted all paid leave for sickness.

(4) The leave shall continue until disability benefits are paid from the 1977 fund. However, the leave may not continue for more than six (6) months.

(5) During the leave, the police officer or firefighter is entitled to receive compensation in an amount equal to fifty percent (50%) of the salary of a first class patrolman or first class firefighter on the date the leave begins.

Payments of compensation under this subsection may not be made from the 1925 fund, the 1937 fund, the 1953 fund, or the 1977 fund.

(h) Determinations under subsection (g) are not reviewable by the board of trustees of the Indiana public retirement system.

(i) This subsection applies to leaves of absence granted under subsection (a) or (b). An appointing authority shall establish a policy in writing that specifies whether a police officer or firefighter is entitled, during a leave of absence, to participate in any promotional process or earn seniority. A policy established under this subsection is subject to a department's existing disciplinary procedures. An appointing authority shall reinstate a police officer or firefighter returning from a leave at the merit or permanent rank determined under the policy established under this subsection. However, except as otherwise provided by federal law, an appointing authority is not required to reinstate a police officer or firefighter in the job that the police officer or firefighter held at the time the police officer's or firefighter's leave began.

[Pre-Local Government Recodification Citations: subsection (a) formerly 19-1-6.5-1 part; 19-1-6.5-2; subsection (b) formerly 19-1-6.5-3 part; subsection (c) formerly 19-1-6.5-3 part; 19-1-6.5-4; subsection (d) formerly 19-1-6.5-5 part.]

As added by Acts 1981, P.L.309, SEC.54. Amended by P.L.362-1983, SEC.1; P.L.311-1989, SEC.1; P.L.130-2008, SEC.2; P.L.35-2012, SEC.109; P.L.135-2012, SEC.11.