The governing board of any school district may provide for the leave of absence from duty and may grant compensation during the leave of absence to any employee of the district who is employed in a position requiring certification qualifications and who is compelled to absent himself from his duties because of accident or illness, whether or not the cause of absence arises out of and in the course of the employment of the employee, or because of quarantine which results from his contact with other persons having a contagious disease while performing his duties, or because of temporary inability to perform the services required of him because of illness, accident, or quarantine.