§36-21-4.1. Overtime - Pay or compensation leave for nonelected law enforcement officer in service of county.

(a) Any nonelected law enforcement officer in the service of a county who has worked a number of hours in excess of the established and recurring work period, shall be compensated according to the standards and guidelines established by the Fair Labor Standards Act (29 C.F.R. § 553.200, et seq.). The officer shall be compensated at a rate of not less than one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime is required. Nonelected law enforcement officers may receive, in lieu of overtime pay, compensatory time off at a rate of not less than one and one-half hours for each hour of employment for which overtime is required.

(b) Any law enforcement officer covered by this section who works overtime during any calendar month shall on the last day of the month file in writing a statement indicating the number of hours of overtime worked. The decision as to whether a nonelected law enforcement officer shall receive overtime pay or compensatory leave shall be at the option of the officer as prescribed in this subsection. In the event the law enforcement officer receives overtime pay, the pay shall be included with his or her compensation for the next succeeding pay period. If he or she receives compensatory leave, the leave shall be taken at any time during the calendar year in which it is earned, except during times of emergency.

(Acts 1981, No. 81-868, p. 1661, §§1, 2; Acts 1996, No. 96-664, p. 1092, §1.)