Z-826 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL NO. 4144
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State of Washington 49th Legislature 1985 Regular Session
By Senator Gaspard; by Superintendent of Public Instruction request
Read first time 2/8/85 and referred to Committee on Education.
AN ACT Relating to school district comparable worth; creating new sections; making an appropriation; and providing and expiration date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature believes that it is in the best public interest for public jurisdictions to engage in equal employment practices in the compensation of public sector employees. School districts comprise a major portion of the public jurisdictions in the state and need information and assistance in evaluating school district compensation practices for comparable worth. To address these needs, the Washington state legislature hereby creates the school district comparable worth assessment project.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the definitions in this section shall apply throughout this act.
(1) "Comparable worth" means providing similar salaries for positions that require or impose similar responsibilities, judgments, knowledge, skills, and working conditions.
(2) "School district" means a body corporate as defined in RCW 28A.58.010.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. The goals of the school district comparable worth assessment project shall be as follows:
(1) To increase the knowledge of school districts regarding the theory and application of comparable worth in compensation practices;
(2) To assist school districts in assessing comparable worth in their compensation practices; and
(3) To retain recognition of school districts as autonomous employers responsible for establishing their own compensation practices.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4. The superintendent of public instruction shall provide technical assistance to school districts in evaluating comparable worth in compensation practices through the following activities:
(1) Develop and distribute a manual to aid school districts in assessing their compensation practices;
(2) Develop and implement a training program to provide school districts with information regarding the definition of comparable worth, legal issues relating to comparable worth, and methods of assessing comparable worth; and
(3) Provide technical statistical assistance to school districts in computing comparable worth in district compensation practices as requested by the district.
School district participation in the school district comparable worth assessment project shall include employee participation and is voluntary.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5. The results of any comparable worth assessments conducted by school districts under this act shall be considered private information under chapter 42.17 RCW until December 31, 1988.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 6. In order to allow school districts time to assess and respond to the findings, neither the commissioner of human rights nor any state court shall use or consider the results of a comparable worth assessment conducted under this act in any proceeding or action alleging discrimination before January 1, 1989.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 7. If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 8. The sum of eighty-five thousand nine hundred twenty-four dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, from the general fund to the office of the superintendent of public instruction for the purposes of this act.