(a) This section applies to all employees, including temporary employees, of all units in the Executive, Judicial, and Legislative branches of State government, including any unit with an independent personnel system.
(b) On request, an employee subject to this section may be entitled to disaster service leave with pay if:
(1) the employee is certified by the American Red Cross as a disaster service volunteer; and
(2) the American Red Cross requests the services of the employee during a disaster that is designated at Level II or above in the regulations and procedures of the National Office of the American Red Cross.
(c) An employee may use up to 15 days of disaster service leave in any 12-month period only after obtaining approval from the employee’s appointing authority.
(d) For purposes of workers’ compensation and the Maryland Tort Claims Act, while an employee is using disaster service leave, the employee is deemed not to be a State employee.