473.775.  Staff to be deemed county employees — full-time staff may be provided for certain administrators. — 1.  Any full-time staff of any public administrator's office employed on or after January 1, 2001, who is not an employee of the county for purposes of hiring, retirement, benefits and other laws applicable to county employees shall be deemed an employee after January 1, 2001.  Any full-time staff of the office of the public administrator for the city of St.  Louis on or after January 1, 2001, shall be considered an employee of the city of St. Louis for purposes of hiring, retirement, benefits and other laws applicable to the city of St. Louis employees.

  2.  Each public administrator with fifty or more cases may be provided with full-time staff paid for by the county or for St. Louis City, paid for by the city of St. Louis.