(a)      The Secretary may grant work-related administrative leave to a police employee who is temporarily disabled in the performance of the police employee's work if the disability resulted from an injury or illness sustained in the performance of the police employee's work.

      (b)      (1)      The work-related administrative leave remains in effect until the police employee is returned to duty or is retired because of the injury or illness from which the disability resulted.

            (2)      However, the work-related administrative leave may not:

                  (i)      exceed 2 years; and

                  (ii)      extend beyond the second anniversary of the date of the injury or illness.

      (c)      (1)      Payment to a police employee on work-related administrative leave is based on two-thirds of the police employee's regular pay.

            (2)      Payment for work-related administrative leave is a separate benefit on account of accidental disability and is not a continuation of salary.

            (3)      Notwithstanding the reduced rate at which a police employee is paid while on work-related administrative leave, the police employee:

                  (i)      continues seniority and leave accruals based on the police employee's regular pay; and

                  (ii)      does not lose health care benefits with the subsidy allowed in Title 2, Subtitle 5 of the State Personnel and Pensions Article solely because the police employee is on work-related administrative leave.

            (4)      A police employee may not receive temporary total disability benefits under the Maryland Workers' Compensation Act while the police employee is receiving payment under this section.