WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor Ch. 543

(IV)  A SERIOUSLY ILL SPOUSE, PARENT, OR LEGAL
DEPENDENT OF THE EMPLOYEE; OR

(V)  SCHOOL AGE CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 14
YEARS DURING PERIODS OF SCHOOL VACATION.

(b)(1) This section is intended to enhance State employee
morale and State agency efficiency by permitting employees to
apply for and receive extended leaves of absence during periods
of anticipated low demand for the services of those employees.

(2) While a principal purpose of this program is to
allow a parent of school age children to be absent from State
service during the summer months, the program is in no way
restricted as to the time of year or the employee's reason for
making the request.

(3) (B) The practicability of granting [seasonal]
OR FAMILY leave shall be determined on a case-by-case basis for
each employee.

(c)  The Secretary of Personnel shall promulgate regulations
establishing procedures under which an employee, upon request,
may be granted a [seasonal] OR FAMILY leave of absence
without pay, subject to the requirements of subsection (d) of
this section.

(d)  The regulations required under this section shall
provide that:

(1)  EITHER [Seasonal] OR FAMILY leave may be
granted to an employee for a TOTAL COMBINED period of not more
than 12 weeks WITHIN ANY 12-MONTH PERIOD OF TIME;

(2)  In each instance, the head of the agency shall
make a determination whether seasonal OR FAMILY leave may be
granted to an employee, based upon:

(i) The potential disruption to the efficient
operation of the agency; and

(ii) The agency's anticipated workload during
the period for which seasonal OR FAMILY leave is requested;

(2) In each instance, the head of the agency shall
make a determination whether [seasonal] FAMILY leave may be
granted to an employee; based upon:

(i) The potential disruption to the efficient
operation of the agency; and

(ii) The agency's anticipated workload during
the period for which [seasonal] FAMILY leave is requested;

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