Section 73-7-3 - [Effective 1/1/2025] Employees; location of offices; compensation(1) The board shall be authorized to employ such clerical assistance, bookkeepers, investigators and other agents as they may deem necessary to carry out the provisions of this chapter, and to fix their tenure of employment and compensation therefor. The members of the board, as well as all employees of the board except for investigators, shall file a bond with the Secretary of State in the sum of not less than Twenty-five Thousand Dollars ($25,000.00) payable to the State of Mississippi for the faithful performance of their duties. The bond shall be made by a surety company authorized to do business in this state, the premium of the bond to be paid out of any money in the board's special fund in the State Treasury.(2) The office of the board shall be located in the greater metropolitan area of the City of Jackson, Mississippi, and if office space cannot be obtained in any state-owned building, the board is authorized to rent suitable office space and to pay therefor out of funds in the board's special fund. The board shall employ inspectors as needed, not to exceed twelve (12), who shall be full-time employees and whose salaries and duties shall be fixed by the board.(3) The salaries of all paid employees of the board shall be paid out of the funds in the board's special fund in the State Treasury. The inspectors shall, in addition to their salaries, be reimbursed for such expenses as are allowed other state employees under the provisions of Section 25-3-41. In addition to the paying of office rent, the board is authorized to purchase necessary office furniture and equipment, stationery, books, certificates and any other equipment necessary for the proper administration of this chapter.(4) When, in the opinion of the board, it is essential that an employee of the board work after normal working hours, the employee may receive credit for compensatory leave. (a) The board should use the standards established by the State Personnel Board in determining whether or not the board's executive director may receive compensatory leave.(b) Employees of the board may be granted administrative leave with pay, which means discretionary leave with pay, other than personal leave or major medical leave. (i) The board may grant administrative leave to any employee of the board serving as a witness or juror or party litigant, as verified by the clerk of the court, in addition to any fees paid for such services, and such services or necessary appearance in any court shall not be counted as personal leave.(ii) The board may grant administrative leave with pay to employees of the board in the event of extreme weather conditions or in the event of a man-made, technological, or natural disaster or emergency. Any employee on a previously approved leave during the affected period shall be eligible for such administrative leave granted by the board and shall not be charged for his or her previously approved leave during the affected period.(iii) The board may grant administrative leave with pay to any employee of the board who is a certified disaster service volunteer of the American Red Cross who participates in specialized disaster relief services for the American Red Cross in this state and in states contiguous to this state when the American Red Cross requests the employee's participation. Administrative leave granted under this subparagraph shall not exceed twenty (20) days in any twelve-month period. Employees on leave under this subparagraph shall not be deemed to be an employee of the state for purposes of workers' compensation or for purposes of claims against the state allowed under Title 11, Chapter 46, Mississippi Code of 1972. As used in this subparagraph, the term "disaster" includes disasters designated at Level II and above in American Red Cross' national regulations and procedures.Codes, 1942, § 8915-02; Laws, 1948, ch. 367, § 2; Laws, 1952, ch. 322; Laws, 1960, ch. 384, § 2; Laws, 1964, ch. 450, § 2; Laws, 1970, ch. 405.5, § 2; Laws, 1974, ch. 363; reenacted, Laws, 1983, ch. 487, § 2; reenacted, Laws, 1991, ch. 553, § 3; Laws, 1992, ch. 502, § 9; reenacted, Laws, 1993, ch. 596, § 4; reenacted, Laws, 1995, ch. 383, § 3; reenacted and amended, Laws, 1997, ch. 513, § 3; Laws, 2000, ch. 485, § 1; reenacted without change, Laws, 2005, ch. 492, § 3; reenacted without change, Laws, 2010, ch. 487, § 3; reenacted without change, Laws, 2011, ch. 525, § 3, eff. 7/1/2011.Amended by Laws, 2024, ch. 437, HB 313,§ 3, eff. 1/1/2025.Reenacted without change by Laws, 2021, ch. 470, HB 1312,§ 3, eff. 4/9/2021.Reenacted without change by Laws, 2013, ch. 523, HB 1164, 3, eff. 7/1/2013.Repeal date: Miss. Code § 73-7-63 provides that this chapter is repealed effective 7/1/2024. Laws, 2024, ch. 437, HB 313,§ 28 repeals Miss. Code § 73-7-63 effective 1/1/2025.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.