(a) No employer shall terminate, demote or take any other disciplinary action against any employee who is a volunteer emergency responder if:
(1) Such employee, when acting as a volunteer emergency responder, is absent from the employee's place of employment in order to respond to a Governor-declared state of emergency lasting up to 7 consecutive days; or
(2) Such employee, when acting as a volunteer emergency responder, is absent from the employee's place of employment in order to respond to a President-declared national emergency lasting up to 14 consecutive days; or
(3) Such employee is absent from the employee's place of employment due to injury sustained by such employee when acting as a volunteer emergency responder including responding to an emergency.
(b) Paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this section shall not apply to:
(1) Essential state employees;
(2) Members of the armed forces;
(3) Members of the National Guard;
(4) Employees of a hospital licensed pursuant to Chapter 10 of Title 16; and
(5) Employees of public utilities or providers of voice over IP service or cellular telephone service who are necessary to maintain the integrity of networks, facilities or assist first responders.