(a) A sick leave pool is established to help alleviate hardship caused to an employee and employee's immediate family if a catastrophic illness or injury forces the employee to exhaust all accrued paid leave time earned by that employee and to lose compensation from the state.     
      (b) A family leave pool is established to help alleviate hardship caused to an employee and employee's immediate family if they are caring for a seriously ill family member or the employee, including pandemic-related illnesses or complications caused by a pandemic or are bonding with and caring for children during a child's first year following birth, adoption, or foster placement which forces the employee to exhaust all accrued paid leave time earned by that employee and to lose compensation from the state.     
      (c) The Department's Human Resources Director is designated as the pool administrator to both pools.     
      (d) The pool administrator will recommend a policy, operating procedures, and forms for the administration of this section to the Executive Director for inclusion in the Department's Personnel Policies and Procedures Manual.     
      (e) Operation of both pools shall be consistent with Tex. Gov't Code, Chapter 661, as amended.     
     Source Note:        The provisions of this §1.3 adopted to be effective August 20, 2017, 42 TexReg 3964; amended to be effective August 1, 2021, 46 TexReg 4449; amended to be effective January 2, 2022, 46 TexReg 8999