(1) The governing body of any county, town, city, village, school district, or technical college district may grant a leave of absence to any employee or officer who is inducted or who enlists in the U.S. armed forces for a period of military service of not more than 4 years unless such employee is involuntarily retained for a longer period. No salary or compensation of such employee or officer shall be paid, nor claim therefor exist during such leave of absence, except as provided in this subsection. If the employee's or officer's salary or compensation is less in the U.S. armed forces than was paid by the county, town, city, village, school district, or technical college district, that governmental unit may pay the employee or officer the difference between the salary or compensation paid by the armed forces and the salary or compensation that the employee or officer was paid by the county, town, city, village, school district, or technical college district at the time that he or she enlisted in or was inducted into the U.S. armed forces.
(2) The governing body may provide for safeguarding the reinstatement and pension rights, as herein limited, of any employee or officer so inducted or enlisted.
(3) No employee or officer who is appointed to fill the place of any employee or officer so inducted or enlisted shall acquire permanent tenure during such period of replacement service.
(4) If the leave of absence under sub. (1) is granted to an elected or appointed official or employee and the official or employee has begun federal service, a temporary vacancy exists and a successor may be appointed to fill the unexpired term of the official or employee, or until the official or employee returns and files election to resume the office if the date of the filing is prior to the expiration of the term. The appointment shall be made in the manner provided for the filling of vacancies caused by death, resignation or otherwise, except that no election need be held to fill a temporary vacancy. The appointee has all the powers, duties, liabilities and responsibilities and shall be paid and receive the compensation and other benefits of the office or position, unless otherwise provided by the governing body. Within 40 days after the termination of the federal service, the elected or appointed official or employee, upon filing with the clerk a statement under oath of termination and that the official or employee elects to resume the office or position, may resume the office or position for the remainder of the term for which elected or appointed. The person temporarily filling the vacancy shall thereupon cease to hold the office.
(6) In cities of the 3rd class with a commission plan of government, in case of temporary or permanent vacancies in the office of mayor, the vice mayor shall temporarily succeed to the office of mayor for the balance of the unexpired term for which the mayor was elected unless sooner terminated as provided in s. 17.035 (3) . The temporary or permanent vacancy thereby created in the office of council member may thereupon be filled as provided in this section. The term of the person appointed temporarily to the office of council member shall not extend beyond the expiration of the term of the office vacated and the temporary term shall be vacated sooner as provided for in s. 17.035 (3) .