Workers' compensation: public employees: leaves of absence.

Existing workers' compensation law requires employers to secure the payment of workers' compensation, including medical treatment, for injuries incurred by their employees that arise out of, and in the course of, employment. Existing law generally provides that whenever certain public employees who are employed on a regular, full-time basis, and are disabled, whether temporarily or permanently, by injury or illness arising out of, and in the course of, their duties, they are required to become entitled, regardless of their period of service with the public employer, to a leave of absence while so disabled without loss of salary in lieu of temporary disability payments or maintenance allowance payments, if any, for the period of disability, but not exceeding one year, or until that earlier date as he or she is retired on permanent disability pension, and is actually receiving disability pension payment, or certain advanced disability pension payment. This bill would provide that the employees and the employer through the collective bargaining process may mutually agree to extend the leave of absence under the above-described provisions beyond the one year period of disability, but that the extension may only be for a maximum of one additional year.