Civil Air Patrol Leave

Consistent with the Florida Civil Air Patrol Leave Act, Florida Statutes Section 252.55, the Company will not terminate or discriminate against an employee who is a volunteer member of the Civil Air Patrol, and will not prevent a member from performing service as part of the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol during an emergency operational mission. The Company will also not retaliate against an employee for requesting or taking Civil Air Patrol leave under this policy.

The Company will provide eligible employees with up to ten days of leave per year, but no more than three days at a time, unless the emergency is extended by the entity in charge of the operation and the Company approves the extension. To be eligible for leave, the employee must have been employed by the Company for at least ninety days immediately preceding the start of the leave and must be duly directed and authorized by a political entity that has the authority to authorize an emergency operational mission of the Florida Wing of the Civil Air Patrol.

Employees must request leave with as much advance notice as possible. The Company may require certification from the proper Civil Air Patrol authority to verify the employee's eligibility for leave, and may deny the leave if the employee fails to provide the required certification.

Leave taken under this policy is unpaid, except that exempt employees will be paid when required by applicable law. Employees are not required to exhaust accrued vacation, sick leave, or any other type of accrued leave before taking unpaid Civil Air Patrol leave, but may choose to use those benefits during the leave to receive pay.

Following the leave, the employee must return to work as soon as practicable and must provide evidence of the satisfactory completion of Civil Air Patrol service. Provided the employee complies with these requirements, the employee will be restored to the prior position without loss of status, pay, or other benefits.