ARTICLE 10A. LAW-ENFORCEMENT REEMPLOYMENT ACT.

§15-10A-1. Legislative findings.

The Legislature finds:

(1) That West Virginia law enforcement is currently suffering from an unacceptably high number of vacant law-enforcement positions because of military service obligations, and that given the time factors and expense associated with the hiring and training of personnel with no prior law-enforcement experience, it is in the interest of the state to reemploy retired law-enforcement officers in order to temporarily fill only the vacant positions of those law-enforcement officers called to active military duty;

(2) That no pension rights of any kind shall accrue or attach pursuant to reemployment under this article; and

(3) That a law-enforcement agency who hires a retired law-enforcement officer shall bear no responsibility for medical payments resulting from work-related injuries or illnesses of persons hired pursuant to this article, other than those commonly associated with state employees covered by workers' compensation.

§15-10A-2. Reemployment of law-enforcement officers.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, any honorably retired law-enforcement officer may, at the discretion of the head of a law-enforcement agency, be reemployed subject to the provisions of this article: Provided, That a retired law-enforcement officer employed pursuant to this article must be certified pursuant to article twenty-nine, chapter thirty.

(b) Any person reemployed pursuant to the provisions of this article shall:

(1) Receive the same compensation as a regularly enlisted officer of the same rank;

(2) Receive credit for all years of service accrued prior to their retirement, as well as service rendered after the date of their reemployment;

(3) Exercise the same authority as a regularly enlisted officer of the law-enforcement agency;

(4) Wear the same uniform and insignia;

(5) Be subject to the same oath;

(6) Execute the same bond; and

(7) Exercise the same powers and be subject to the same limitations as a regularly enlisted officer of the law-enforcement agency.

(c) A person reemployed pursuant to the provisions of this article is ineligible for promotion or reclassification of any type nor eligible for appointment to a temporary rank.

(d) A person reemployed pursuant to the provisions of this article may be employed for a period not to exceed two years from the date on which he or she is hired.

(e) As used in this article:

(1) "Law-enforcement officer" or "officer" means: (A) Any sheriff and any deputy sheriff of any county; (B) any member of a police department in any municipality as defined in section two, article one, chapter eight of this code; and (C) any natural resources police officer of the Division of Natural Resources; and

(2) "Head of a law-enforcement agency" means the chief of police of an incorporated municipality; a county sheriff, or the chief natural resources police officer of the Division of Natural Resources.

§15-10A-3. Examination requirements.

A retired law-enforcement officer applying for reemployment under this article is required to pass mental and physical examinations as required, and meet such other requirements, as may be provided in rules promulgated by the head of the applicable law-enforcement agency.

§15-10A-4. Coverage for illness or injury.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, the head of the law-enforcement agency shall make provisions for coverage of personnel employed pursuant to this article by the workers' compensation division and Bureau of Employment Programs. In the event an individual reemployed pursuant to this article sustains an illness or injury which is work related in origin, any cost associated with the treatment must be defrayed in this manner.

(b) In the event a work-related illness or injury renders an individual employed pursuant to the provisions of this article permanently physically or mentally disabled, the applicable law-enforcement agencies' disability coverage through the workers' compensation division shall apply, and the individual's existing pension shall be recalculated as though the disabling event had occurred coincident with the individual's original retirement. Any change in benefits resulting from this recalculation may not be retroactive in nature.

(c) The provisions of this section do not apply in the event a person employed pursuant to this article is disabled because of some cause or event which is determined not to be work related.

§15-10A-5. Ineligibility for contributions to pensions.

Any person reemployed pursuant to this article is not eligible to contribute to any pension plan administered by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board, nor may he or she establish or accrue any new pension eligibility as a result of such reemployment.

§15-10A-6. Employment status; civil service; and retirement benefits.

(a) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, any person reemployed pursuant to this article shall serve at the will and pleasure of the head of the law-enforcement agency, and is subject to termination without cause.

(b) Any person reemployed pursuant to this article may not be included in the classified service of the civil service system.

(c) Notwithstanding any provision of this code to the contrary, compensation paid to any person reemployed pursuant to this article shall be in addition to any public employees insurance act retirement benefits, or any other retirement payments or pension benefits which he or she is already entitled to receive or is receiving.