Ch. 347                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(2)     the employee has exhausted all available advanced sick leave; and

(3)     the appointing authority is satisfied that the case has merit.

(c)     The appointing authority may not authorize extended sick leave for any period
that, when added to the total of all available annual, personal, sick, and advanced sick
leave, exceeds 15 months.

(d)     An employee may not use extended sick leave for any purpose other than as
specified in subsection (b)(1) of this section.

(e)     Upon request by the employee, the Secretary may approve extended sick leave
for an employee if the Secretary disagrees with a determination of an appointing
authority denying extended sick leave.

(f)     The Secretary may audit the granting of extended sick leave by appointing
authorities.]

SUBTITLE 6. STATE EMPLOYEES' LEAVE BANK AND EMPLOYEE-TO-EMPLOYEE

LEAVE DONATION PROGRAM

[7-511.

(a)     There is a State Employees' Leave Bank.

(b)     The Secretary shall administer the State Employees' Leave Bank.

(c)     (1) The Secretary shall adopt regulations that:

(i) govern the donation of leave to the Leave Bank; and

(ii) establish procedures for granting donated leave to employees who
meet the criteria in subsection (e) of this section and provide the certification of illness
required in § 7-505 of this subtitle.

(2) The regulations shall provide for leave donations to and from employees
in units of State government with independent personnel systems that elect to participate
in the State Employees' Leave Bank in accordance with § 7-513 of this subtitle.

(d)     An employee who donates annual, sick, or personal leave to the State
Employees' Leave Bank is a member.

(e)     The Secretary may grant leave from the State Employees' Leave Bank to an
employee:

(1)     who has exhausted all forms of annual, personal, sick, and compensatory
leave because of a serious and prolonged medical condition; and

(2)     (i) who is a member of the State Employees' Leave Bank; or

(ii) whom the Secretary exempts from the membership requirement
for good cause.

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