S-0062.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5056

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1995 Regular Session

By Senators Haugen and Winsley

Read first time 01/09/95.  Referred to Committee on Government Operations.

Revising the authority for county employee safety award programs.

    AN ACT Relating to employee safety award programs; and amending RCW 36.32.460.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

    Sec. 1.  RCW 36.32.460 and 1971 c 79 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The ((board of)) county ((commissioners)) legislative authority may establish an employee safety award program to reward and encourage the safe performance of assigned duties by county employees.

    The ((board)) county legislative authority may establish standards and regulations necessary or appropriate for the proper administration and for otherwise accomplishing the purposes of such program.

    ((The board may authorize every department head and other officer of county government who oversees or directs county employees to make the determination as to whether an employee safety award will be made.))

    Such awards shall be made annually from the county general fund by warrant on vouchers duly authorized by the ((board according to the following schedule based upon safe and accident-free performance:

           5 years.....................      $     2.50

           10 years....................           5.00

           15 years....................           7.50

           20 years....................           10.00

           25 years....................           12.50

           30 years....................           20.00:

PROVIDED, That the board may give such department heads and other officers overseeing and directing county employees discretion to purchase a noncash award of equal value in lieu of the cash award.  If a noncash award is given the warrants shall be made payable to the business enterprise from which the noncash award is purchased)) county legislative authority.

    However, safety awards made to persons whose safe and accident-free performance has directly benefited the county road system shall be made from the county road fund by warrant on vouchers duly authorized by the ((board)) county legislative authority.

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