All permanent full-time state employees are entitled to fifteen days sick leave a year with pay. Sick leave is earned by permanent full-time state employees at the rate of one and one-fourth days a month and may be accumulated, but no more than one hundred eighty days may be carried over from one calendar year to another. The department or agency head is authorized to grant additional sick leave in extenuating circumstances upon approval of the State Budget and Control Board. All permanent part-time and hourly employees are entitled to sick leave prorated on the basis of fifteen days a year subject to the same carry-over specified herein. In the event an employee transfers from one state agency to another, his sick leave balance also is transferred. The State Budget and Control Board, through the Division of Personnel, may promulgate those regulations in accordance with law as may be necessary to administer the provisions of this section, including the power to define the use of sick leave.

Permanent full-time state employees who are temporarily disabled as a result of an assault by an inmate, patient, or client must be placed on administrative leave with pay by their employer rather than sick leave. The period of administrative leave per incident may not exceed one hundred eighty calendar days.

Employees earning sick leave as provided in this section may use not more than eight days of sick leave annually to care for ill members of their immediate families. For purposes of this section, the employee's "immediate family" means the employee's spouse and children and the following relations to the employee or the spouse of the employee: mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, or legal guardian and grandchildren if the grandchild resides with the employee and the employee is the primary caretaker of the grandchild.