Section 143.073(a) of the Texas Local Government Code, which governs civil service firefighters and police officers, states:

        

        A municipality shall provide to a firefighter or police officer a leave of absence for an

        illness or injury related to the person's line of duty. The leave is with full pay for a period

        commensurate with the nature of the line of duty illness or injury. If necessary, the leave

        shall continue for at least one year.

                  
Thereafter, the statute provides for the use of accrued benefits (sick leave, vacation time, compensatory time, accrued holidays, etc.) in combination with worker's compensation benefits, where applicable, to ensure the continuation of full salary during an extended disability. Section 143.073 also allows an injured police officer or firefighter to request from the City Council an extension of the injury leave-of-absence for full or reduced pay upon the expiration of the one year period.
  

Firefighter William Thompson was injured in the line of duty and began losing time on November 9, 2005. His one year of occupational injury leave as provided under Section 143.073 expired on November 9, 2006. Since that time, the City Council has granted six extensions (M&C G-15499, G-15742, G-15953, G-16156, G-16340, and G-16558); the most recent extension will expire on November 12, 2009. Presently, Firefighter Thompson is still under physician care and has no anticipated release date.
  

Fire Department staff recommends that Firefighter Thompson's leave-of-absence pay be extended until his anticipated retirement date. Staff thus recommends that the extension of injury leave-of-absence pay be granted from November 13, 2009, through January 31, 2010. Firefighter Thompson plans to retire on January 31, 2010. If the request is denied, Firefighter Thompson can maintain full pay by use of his accumulated leave benefits (i.e., vacation, sick leave, compensatory time or accrued holiday time).