1. (1) A volunteer search and rescue team member is considered an employee of the county of the county sheriff that certifies and supervises the volunteer search and rescue team member for the purpose of receiving workers' compensation benefits under:

   1. (a) Title 34A, Chapter 2, Workers' Compensation Act; and
   2. (b) Title 34A, Chapter 3, Utah Occupational Disease Act.

2. (2)

   1. (a) In accordance with Section 34A-2-105, the workers' compensation benefits described in Subsection (1) are the exclusive remedy against the county of the supervising county sheriff or an officer, agent, or employee of the county or supervising county sheriff, for the injuries and occupational diseases resulting from the volunteer search and rescue team member's services for the supervising county sheriff as a volunteer search and rescue team member.
   2. (b) For purposes of Subsection (2)(a), the county of the supervising county sheriff for whom the volunteer search and rescue team member provides services as a volunteer search and rescue team member is considered an employer of the volunteer search and rescue team member.
3. (3) To compute the workers' compensation benefits for a volunteer search and rescue team member described in Subsection (1), the average weekly wage of the volunteer search and rescue team member for purposes of the volunteer search and rescue team member's workers' compensation claim is the average weekly wage of an entry-level deputy sheriff employed by the supervising county sheriff at the time of the industrial accident or occupational disease.

Enacted by Chapter 248, 2011 General Session