Any full-time employe of a school entity who has been an employe for at least five (5) years and who has been elected to public office as a county official in any county of this Commonwealth, shall be entitled to a leave of absence for the first four (4) years of the elected period of service: Provided, however, That such leave of absence shall be without pay. Any employe qualifying for and desiring leave for elective public office shall file a written statement declaring the employe's intent to take a leave of absence together with a copy of the employe's official certification of election with the secretary of the school entity. Certification of election shall be recorded in the school board minutes at the next regular meeting of the board of directors. No employe on such leave of absence shall be eligible for retirement credit or for purchase of retirement credit at any future date for time spent on leave of absence. Should the employe decide to return to full-time employment with the school entity at the conclusion of the leave of absence, the employe shall be entitled to a position similar to that which the employe held prior to the leave of absence. Nothing in this section shall prohibit a board of school directors from granting a leave of absence, at its discretion, to any employe who has been elected to any public office other than as a county official.
24 P.S. § 11-1182