Brief Description: Providing for paying part-time faculty at institutions of higher education.

Sponsors: Representatives Kenney, Cox, Fromhold, Chase, Hudgins, Wood, Morrell, Santos and Kagi.

Hearing Date: 1/21/04

Staff: Sydney Forrester (786-7120).

Background:

Part-time academic faculties at institutions of higher education often are employed throughout the year under a series of shorter-term contracts that coincide with an institution's quarterly start and stop dates. Some part-time faculty work under these arrangements for several years.

The schedule required for paying state employees divides each month into two pay periods, the first through the 15th, and the 16th through the last day of the month. The Office of Financial Management (OFM) has established paydates for these two pay periods of the 10th and the 25th, respectively. The 10-day period between the end of a pay period and the receipt of a paycheck, is commonly called a lag period. OFM approval is required to deviate from these standards.

A typical contract under which a part-time faculty member is employed defines the amount of compensation and the paydates during the quarter over which the compensation will be distributed. The quarterly start and stop dates which govern the employment status of part-time faculty at institutions of higher education combined with the standard state employee pay periods and paydates may result in part-time faculty working for more than three weeks before receiving compensation under a contract.

Summary of Bill:

Institutions of higher education are permitted to include in a collective bargaining agreement a provision to pay part-time faculty on the same paydates as are used for full-time faculty. Institutions are required, however, to pay part-time faculty members within 10 or fewer days after the faculty member reports for work.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on January 14, 2004.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.