S-2179.1          _______________________________________________

                            SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5993

                  _______________________________________________

State of Washington              54th Legislature             1995 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Government Operations (originally sponsored by Senators Winsley, Finkbeiner, Swecker and Wood)

Read first time 03/01/95.

Providing for paid leaves of absence for state employees to provide disaster relief services.

     AN ACT Relating to leaves of absence for disaster relief services; and adding a new section to chapter 41.04 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.04 RCW to read as follows:

     After proclamation of a state of emergency as provided in RCW 43.06.010, an employee of the state of Washington may be granted a leave of absence from work with pay and benefits, up to one hundred sixty work hours in any twelve-month period, to participate in specialized disaster relief services, if the employee is a certified disaster services volunteer of the American Red Cross.  The request for an employee's services must be made by a local government, the American Red Cross, or a local nonprofit organization involved in disaster relief services and must be approved by the employee's supervisor.

     During the granted leave of absence, the employee shall continue to accrue seniority, vacation time, and sick time.  The state agency shall compensate an employee granted a leave of absence under this section at his or her regular rate of pay for those regular work hours during which the employee is absent from work.

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