SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6555

BYSenators Bailey, Rinehart, Gaspard, Murray, Patterson, Bauer, Craswell and Warnke

Changing provisions relating to school employee attendance incentive programs.

Senate Committee on Education

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 24, 1990; January 29, 1990

Majority Report:     Do pass as amended.

     Signed by Senators Bailey, Chairman; Lee, Vice Chairman; Anderson, Bender, Benitz, Craswell, Fleming, Gaspard, Murray, Rinehart.

Senate Staff:Leslie Goldstein (786-7424)

                February 1, 1990

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, JANUARY 29, 1990

BACKGROUND:

School district and educational service district boards of directors are required to establish attendance incentive programs for certificated and noncertificated employees.  Under attendance incentive programs, employees may choose to receive money for unused sick leave at a rate equal to one day's salary for every four days of sick leave in excess of 60 days.  When an employee retires, the employee is entitled to remuneration at a rate equivalent to one day's salary for each four days of accrued sick leave.

Approximately 55 school districts give employees the choice of receiving cash for their unused sick leave or receiving postretirement benefits.  A number of other school districts are reluctant to provide employees with this option without specific legislative authority.

Last session legislation passed permitting school district and educational service district boards of directors to provide employees at retirement with the option of receiving cash for their unused sick leave at the current rate of one day's salary for every four days earned or with the option of receiving equivalent funds in postretirement medical benefits.

SUMMARY:

If an employee of an educational service district or school district has accumulated accrued sick leave in excess of 60 days, that employee may have the option of receiving cash at the current rate of one day's salary for every four or the option of investing the equivalent of those funds in a postretirement medical benefit plan.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSED COMMITTEE AMENDMENT:

The language "at the request of the employee" is deleted to avoid possible income tax consequences.

Appropriation:  none

Revenue:   none

Fiscal Note:    none requested

Senate Committee - Testified:   PRO:  Kris Van Gorkom, Washington Association of School Administrators; Walter Ball, Association of Washington School Principals