Mont. Code Ann. § 2-18-601
Definitions
En. Sec. 1, Ch. 476, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 59-1007.1; amd. Sec. 30, Ch. 184, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 568, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 178, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 260, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 756, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 339, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 314, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 11, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 75, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 582, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 503, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 185, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 175, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 370, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 167, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 87, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 67, L. 2025.
For the purpose of this part, the following definitions apply:
(1)
- (a) "Agency" means any legally constituted department, board, or commission of state, county, or city government or any political subdivision of the state.
- (b) The term does not mean the state compensation insurance fund.
- (2) "Break in service" means a period of time in excess of 5 working days when the person is not employed and that severs continuous employment.
- (3) "Common association" means an association of employees established pursuant to 2-18-1310 for the purposes of employer and employee participation in the plan.
- (4) "Continuous employment" means working within the same jurisdiction without a break in service of more than 5 working days or without a continuous absence without pay of more than 15 working days.
- (5) "Contracting employer" means an employer who, pursuant to 2-18-1310, has contracted with the department of administration to participate in the plan.
- (6) "Employee" means any person employed by an agency except elected state, county, and city officials, schoolteachers, members of the instructional or scientific staff of a community college, persons contracted as independent contractors or hired under personal services contracts, and student interns.
- (7) "Floating holiday" means an annual scheduled day off with pay as provided for in 2-18-603 for an employee of an agency specified in 2-18-101(1) or for an employee of an entity of the legislative branch consolidated as provided for in 5-2-504.
- (8) "Full-time employee" means an employee who normally works 40 hours a week.
(9) "Holiday" means:
- (a) for employees of an agency specified in 2-18-101(1) and employees of an entity of the legislative branch consolidated, as provided in 5-2-504, a scheduled day off with pay to observe a legal holiday, as specified in 1-1-216(1)(a) through (1)(k), except Sundays; or
- (b) for all other employees, a scheduled day off with pay to observe a legal holiday, as specified in 1-1-216 or 20-1-305, except Sundays.
- (10) "Member" means an employee who belongs to a voluntary employees' beneficiary association established under 2-18-1310.
- (11) "Part-time employee" means an employee who normally works less than 40 hours a week.
- (12) "Permanent employee" means a permanent employee as defined in 2-18-101.
- (13) "Plan" means the employee welfare benefit plan established under Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(9) pursuant to 2-18-1304.
- (14) "Seasonal employee" means a seasonal employee as defined in 2-18-101.
(15) "Short-term worker" means:
- (a) for the executive and judicial branches, a short-term worker as defined in 2-18-101; or
(b) for the legislative branch, an individual who:
- (i) may be hired by a legislative agency without using a competitive process for an hourly wage established by the agency;
- (ii) may not work for the agency for more than 6 months in a continuous 12-month period;
- (iii) is not eligible for permanent status;
- (iv) may not be hired into a permanent position by the agency without a competitive selection process;
- (v) is not eligible to earn the leave and holiday benefits provided in this part; and
- (vi) may be discharged without cause.
(16) "Sick leave" means a leave of absence with pay for:
- (a) a sickness suffered by an employee or a member of the employee's immediate family; or
(b) the time that an employee is unable to perform job duties because of:
- (i) a physical or mental illness, injury, or disability;
- (ii) maternity or pregnancy-related disability or treatment, including prenatal care, birth, or medical care for the employee or the employee's child;
- (iii) parental leave for a permanent employee as provided in 2-18-606;
- (iv) quarantine resulting from exposure to a contagious disease;
- (v) examination or treatment by a licensed health care provider;
- (vi) short-term attendance, in an agency's discretion, to care for a relative or household member not covered by subsection (16)(a) until other care can reasonably be obtained;
- (vii) necessary care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, as defined in the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993; or
- (viii) death or funeral attendance of an immediate family member or, at an agency's discretion, another person.
- (17) "Student intern" means a student intern as defined in 2-18-101.
- (18) "Temporary employee" means a temporary employee as defined in 2-18-101.
- (19) "Transfer" means a change of employment from one agency to another agency in the same jurisdiction without a break in service.
- (20) "Vacation leave" means a leave of absence with pay for the purpose of rest, relaxation, or personal business at the request of the employee and with the concurrence of the employer.
History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 476, L. 1973; R.C.M. 1947, 59-1007.1; amd. Sec. 30, Ch. 184, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 568, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 178, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 260, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 756, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 339, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 314, L. 2001; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 11, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 75, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 582, L. 2005; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 503, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 185, L. 2009; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 175, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 370, L. 2017; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 167, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 87, L. 2023; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 67, L. 2025.