Effective Date of Rule: Thirty-one days after filing.

     Purpose: These changes are a result of the passage of ESSB 6503. This bill requires immediate action to reduce expenditures during the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium. It is the intent of this bill that state agencies of the legislative branch, judicial branch, and executive branch, including institutions of higher education, shall achieve a reduction in government operating expenses as provided in the bill. For some state employers this means implementing temporary layoffs. There are provisions in the bill which require us to make changes to the current temporary layoff rules in order to implement temporary layoffs as described in the bill.

     The original CR-103 filing WSR 10-23-040 filed November 10, 2010, did not include these rules in error. These should have been included with the packet filed November 10, 2010.

     Citation of Existing Rules Affected by this Order: Amending WAC 357-31-390, 357-31-025, 357-31-115, 357-31-170, 357-31-230, 357-31-355, and 357-31-567.

     Statutory Authority for Adoption: Chapter 41.06 RCW.

      Adopted under notice filed as WSR 10-20-176 on October 6, 2010.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted at Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's Own Initiative: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.

     Number of Sections Adopted Using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0;      Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 7, Repealed 0.

     Date Adopted: November 10, 2010.

Eva N. Santos

Director

OTS-3668.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 05-08-136, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05)

WAC 357-31-025   How many hours are higher education employees compensated for on a holiday?   When a holiday as designated under WAC 357-31-005 falls on a higher education employee's scheduled work day:

     (1) Full-time employees receive eight hours of regular holiday pay per holiday. Any differences between the scheduled shift for the day and eight hours may be adjusted by use of vacation leave, use of accumulation of compensatory time as appropriate, or leave without pay.

     (2) Part-time higher education employees are entitled to the number of paid hours on a holiday that their monthly schedule bears to a full-time schedule. Time spent on temporary layoff as provided in WAC 357-46-063 is considered time in pay status for the purpose of this subsection.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 05-08-136, § 357-31-025, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

OTS-3669.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 05-08-136, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05)

WAC 357-31-115   How many hours of sick leave does an employee earn each month?   (1) Full-time employees earn eight hours of sick leave per month.

     (2) Part-time general government employees earn sick leave on a pro rata basis in accordance with WAC 357-31-125.

     (3) Part-time higher education employees earn sick leave on the same pro rata basis that their appointment bears to a full-time appointment. Time spent on temporary layoff as provided in WAC 357-46-063 is considered time in pay status for the purpose of this subsection.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 05-08-136, § 357-31-115, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

     (2) Part-time higher education employees accrue on the same pro rata basis that their appointment bears to a full-time appointment. Time spent on temporary layoff as provided in WAC 357-46-063 is considered time in pay status for the purpose of this subsection.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 05-08-137, § 357-31-170, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

OTS-3679.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 09-17-056 and 09-18-113, filed 8/13/09 and 9/2/09, effective 12/3/09)

WAC 357-31-230   When can an employee use accrued compensatory time?   (1) Employees must request to use accrued compensatory time in accordance with the employer's leave policy. When considering employees' requests, employers must consider the work requirements of the department and the wishes of the employee.

     (2) An employee must be granted the use of accrued compensatory time to care for a spouse, registered domestic partner, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent of the employee who has a serious health condition or an emergency health condition, or to care for a minor/dependent child with a health condition that requires treatment or supervision. In accordance with the employer's leave policy, approval of the employee's request to use accrued compensatory time may be subject to verification that the condition exists.

     (3) An employee must be granted the use of accrued compensatory time if the employee or the employee's family member, as defined in chapter 357-01 WAC, is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 49.76.020. An employer may require the request for leave under this section be supported by verification in accordance with WAC 357-31-730.

     (4) In accordance with WAC 357-31-373, an employee must be granted the use of accrued compensatory time to be with a spouse or registered domestic partner who is a member of the armed forces of the United States, National Guard, or reserves after the military spouse or registered domestic partner has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty, before deployment, or when the military spouse or registered domestic partner is on leave from deployment.

     (5) Compensatory time off may be scheduled by the employer during the final sixty days of a biennium.

     (6) Employers may require that accumulated compensatory time be used before vacation leave is approved, except in those instances where this requirement would result in loss of accumulated vacation leave.

     (7) During the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium only, an employee whose monthly full-time equivalent base salary is two thousand five hundred dollars or less is eligible to use compensatory time in lieu of temporary layoff as described in chapter 32, Laws of 2010.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 09-17-056 and 09-18-113, § 357-31-230, filed 8/13/09 and 9/2/09, effective 12/3/09; 09-03-013, § 357-31-230, filed 1/9/09, effective 2/13/09; 08-15-043, § 357-31-230, filed 7/11/08, effective 10/1/08; 05-08-137, § 357-31-230, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

OTS-3680.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 09-11-063, filed 5/14/09, effective 6/16/09)

WAC 357-31-355   How does leave without pay affect the duration of an employee's probationary period, trial service period or transition review period?   If an employee uses leave without pay for an entire workshift while serving a probationary period, trial service period or transition review period, the probationary period, trial service period or transition review period is extended by one work day for each workshift of leave without pay. The duration of an employee's probationary period, trial service period, or transition review period shall not be extended for periods of time spent on temporary layoff.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 09-11-063, § 357-31-355, filed 5/14/09, effective 6/16/09; 05-08-138, § 357-31-355, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

OTS-3300.3

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 08-15-043, filed 7/11/08, effective 10/1/08)

WAC 357-31-390   What criteria does an employee have to meet to be eligible to receive shared leave?   An employee may be eligible to receive shared leave if the agency head or higher education institution president has determined the employee meets the following criteria:

     (1) The employee:

     (a) Suffers from, or has a relative or household member suffering from, an illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition which is of an extraordinary or severe nature;

     (b) The employee has been called to service in the uniformed services;

     (c) A state of emergency has been declared anywhere within the United States by the federal or any state government and the employee has the needed skills to assist in responding to the emergency or its aftermath and volunteers ((his/her)) their services to either a governmental agency or to a nonprofit organization engaged in humanitarian relief in the devastated area, and the governmental agency or nonprofit organization accepts the employee's offer of volunteer services; ((or))

     (d) The employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 41.04.655; or

     (e) During the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium only, an employee whose monthly full-time equivalent base salary is two thousand five hundred dollars or less is eligible to use shared leave in lieu of temporary layoff as described in chapter 32, Laws of 2010.

     (2) The illness, injury, impairment, condition, call to service, ((or)) emergency volunteer service, ((or)) consequence of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or temporary layoff under chapter 32, Laws of 2010, has caused, or is likely to cause, the employee to:

     (a) Go on leave without pay status; or

     (b) Terminate state employment.

     (3) The employee's absence and the use of shared leave are justified.

     (4) The employee has depleted or will shortly deplete ((his or her)) their:

     (a) Compensatory time, recognition leave as described in WAC 357-31-565, personal holiday, accrued vacation leave, and accrued sick leave if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(a) of this section; or

     (b) Compensatory time, recognition leave as described in WAC 357-31-565, personal holiday, accrued vacation leave, and paid military leave allowed under RCW 38.40.060 if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(b) of this section; or

     (c) Compensatory time, recognition leave as described in WAC 357-31-565, personal holiday, and accrued vacation leave if the employee qualifies under (1)(c) or (d) of this section; or

     (d) Compensatory time, recognition leave as described in WAC 357-31-565, and accrued vacation leave if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(e) of this section.

     (5) The employee has abided by employer rules regarding:

     (a) Sick leave use if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(a) of this section; or

     (b) Military leave if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(b) of this section.

     (6) If the illness or injury is work-related and the employee has diligently pursued and been found to be ineligible for benefits under chapter 51.32 RCW if the employee qualifies under subsection (1)(a) of this section.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 08-15-043, § 357-31-390, filed 7/11/08, effective 10/1/08; 08-07-063, § 357-31-390, filed 3/17/08, effective 4/18/08; 07-17-126, § 357-31-390, filed 8/20/07, effective 9/20/07; 05-08-139, § 357-31-390, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]

OTS-3681.1

AMENDATORY SECTION(Amending WSR 09-17-056 and 09-18-113, filed 8/13/09 and 9/2/09, effective 12/3/09)

WAC 357-31-567   When must an employer grant the use of recognition leave?   (1) An employee's request to use recognition leave must be approved under the following conditions:

     (a) An employee must be granted the use of recognition leave if the employee or the employee's family member, as defined in chapter 357-01 WAC, is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 49.76.020. An employer may require the request for leave under this section be supported by verification in accordance with WAC 357-31-730; and

     (b) In accordance with WAC 357-31-373, an employee must be granted the use of recognition leave to be with a spouse or registered domestic partner who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States, National Guard, or Reserves after the military spouse or registered domestic partner has been notified of an impending call or order to active duty, before deployment, or when the military spouse or registered domestic partner is on leave from deployment.

     (2) In accordance with the employer's leave policy, approval for the reasons listed in (1)(a) and (b) above may be subject to verification that the condition or circumstance exists.

     (3) During the 2009-2011 fiscal biennium only, an employee whose monthly full-time equivalent base salary is two thousand five hundred dollars or less is eligible to use recognition leave in lieu of temporary layoff as described in chapter 32, Laws of 2010.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. 09-17-056 and 09-18-113, § 357-31-567, filed 8/13/09 and 9/2/09, effective 12/3/09; 09-03-013, § 357-31-567, filed 1/9/09, effective 2/13/09; 08-15-043, § 357-31-567, filed 7/11/08, effective 10/1/08.]

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