A. Whenever any member of the fire department of any municipality, on account of sickness or temporary disability, other than a burn injury, caused or sustained while in the discharge of the member's duty as such member, is unable to perform the member's duties, notwithstanding the workers' compensation provisions of Title 85 of the Oklahoma Statutes related to temporary disability benefits, the salary shall be paid by the municipality to the member and shall continue while the member is sick or temporarily disabled for a period of not more than six (6) months with the municipality having the option of extending the period for up to an additional six (6) months, not to exceed a total of twelve (12) months, after which period the provisions for disability benefits under the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System shall apply. The salary received by the member under this subsection while the member is sick or temporarily disabled for a period specified in this subsection shall be, or deemed to be, part of the member's actual paid gross salary under the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System. Contributions shall be made on actual paid gross salary paid pursuant to this section.

B. Whenever any member of the fire department of any municipality, on account of a burn injury, caused or sustained while in the discharge of the member's duty as such member, is unable to perform the member's duties, notwithstanding the workers' compensation provisions of Title 85 of the Oklahoma Statutes related to temporary disability benefits, the salary shall be paid by the municipality to the member and shall continue while the member is sick or temporarily disabled for a period of not more than twelve (12) months with the municipality having the option of extending the period for up to an additional six (6) months, not to exceed a total of eighteen (18) months, after which said period the provisions for disability benefits under the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System shall apply. The salary received by the member under this subsection while the member is sick or temporarily disabled for a period specified in this subsection shall be, or deemed to be, part of the member's actual paid gross salary under the Oklahoma Firefighters Pension and Retirement System. Contributions shall be made on actual paid gross salary paid pursuant to this section.

C. Should a member receiving a salary under this section be eligible to receive, and should the salary of the member under this section exceed any temporary disability benefit paid to the member under the workers' compensation provisions of Title 85 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the member shall transfer such temporary disability benefits under the workers' compensation provisions of Title 85 of the Oklahoma Statutes to the municipality while the member is sick or temporarily disabled.

Added by Laws 1977, c. 256, § 49-111, eff. July 1, 1978. Amended by Laws 1980, c. 352, § 19, eff. Jan. 1, 1981; Laws 1993, c. 80, § 1, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1997, c. 182, § 1, eff. July 1, 1997; Laws 2010, c. 438, § 6, emerg. eff. June 9, 2010; Laws 2012, c. 364, § 8.