(a) If an employee who is a member of State Bargaining Unit 8 is temporarily disabled by illness or injury arising out of and in the course of state employment, he or she shall receive an enhanced industrial disability leave benefit. The enhanced industrial disability leave benefit shall be equivalent to the injured employee’s net salary, including any increases the employee would have received during the leave. The benefit may not exceed 52 weeks after the date of the occurrence of the injury or illness or until the date the injury or illness is declared permanent and stationary, whichever is earlier.

(b)  Notwithstanding the above 52-week limitation, an employee described in subdivision (a) whose injuries are burn-related may receive the benefit described in subdivision (a) for a period not to exceed 156 weeks after the date of the occurrence of the injury or illness or until the date the injury or illness is declared permanent and stationary, whichever is earlier.

(c) For purposes of this section, “net salary” means the amount of salary received after federal income tax, state income tax, and the employee’s retirement contribution has been deducted from the employee’s gross salary.

(Amended by Stats. 2018, Ch. 897, Sec. 1. (SB 1144) Effective January 1, 2019.)