1. (1) The department of administration shall develop a parental leave policy for permanent state employees. The policy must permit an employee to take a reasonable leave of absence and permit the employee to use sick leave immediately following the birth or placement of a child for a period not to exceed 15 working days if:

   1. (a) the employee is adopting a child; or
   2. (b) the employee is a birth father.
2. (2) As used in this section, "placement" means placement for adoption as defined in 33-22-130.
3. (3) A state agency that is not subject to the provisions of the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993, 29 U.S.C. 2601 through 2654, may extend the provisions of that act to the employees of the agency.

History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 756, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 2, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 158, Ch. 480, L. 1997.