I.-Independently of the leave of absence from which they benefit under the conditions set out in article L. 2123-1, mayors, deputy mayors and municipal councillors are entitled to a credit of hours enabling them to have the time necessary for the administration of the municipality or the body to which they represent it and for the preparation of meetings of the bodies on which they sit.
II.This flat-rate quarterly entitlement is set by reference to the legal working week. It is equal to:
1° To the equivalent of four times the legal weekly working time for mayors of municipalities with at least 10,000 inhabitants and deputy mayors of municipalities with at least 30,000 inhabitants;
2° To the equivalent of three and a half times the legal weekly working time for mayors of municipalities with less than 10,000 inhabitants and deputy mayors of municipalities with between 10,000 and 29,999 inhabitants ;
3° At the equivalent of twice the legal weekly working time for municipal councillors in municipalities with at least 100,000 inhabitants and deputy mayors in municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants ;
4° To the equivalent of once the legal weekly working time for municipal councillors in municipalities with 30,000 to 99,999 inhabitants, 60% for municipal councillors in municipalities with 10,000 to 29,999 inhabitants and 30% for municipal councillors in municipalities with 3,500 to 9,999 inhabitants;
5° To the equivalent of 30% of the legal weekly working time for municipal councillors in municipalities with fewer than 3,500 inhabitants.
Hours not used during a quarter cannot be carried over.
When a deputy or councillor deputises for the mayor under the conditions set out in article L. 2122-17, he/she is entitled, for the duration of the deputy’s absence, to the credit for hours set out in 1° or 2° of this article.
Municipal councillors who have been delegated a function by the mayor are entitled to the credit for hours set out for deputies in 1°, 2° or 3° of this article.
III.-.In the event of part-time work, this credit of hours is reduced in proportion to the reduction in working time provided for the job in question.
The employer is obliged to grant the elected representatives concerned, at their request, authorisation to use the credit of hours provided for in this article. This time of absence is not paid by the employer.