HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                      Olympia, Washington

Bill Analysis      Bill No. HB 1519

Bereavement leave for state employees           Public Hrg: 2/26/97

Brief Title

Reps. D. Schmidt/Scott/Kenney                            Staff Contact: Mike Spiro

Sponsor                                    Comm. on Govt. Admin.

                                           Phone: 786-5793

BACKGROUND:

The Washington State personnel resources board must adopt rules, consistent with the state=s civil service law, regarding the basis and procedures for state employee sick leave and vacation leave. 

Under those rules, each full-time state employee is to be credited with eight hours of sick leave each month, and may receive monetary compensation for any accrued sick leave in excess of 480 hours per year at a rate of 25 percent of the employee=s current salary.  Sick leave is to be credited to a part-time state employee in an amount proportionate to the sick leave credited to a full-time state employee.  A state employee with accrued sick leave who is terminated due to death or retirement is entitled to compensation for his or her accrued sick leave at the same rate of 25 percent, but that state employee is not entitled to such compensation for any reason other than for death or retirement. 

Each state employee also is entitled to one day of vacation leave with full pay each month during the first year of employment, with the number of vacation days to which that employee is entitled increasing according to how long he or she has been employed by the state.  A part-time state employee, who has been employed for at least one full year, is entitled to vacation leave in an amount that is proportionate to the vacation leave allotted to a full-time state employee.  With certain exceptions, up to a maximum of thirty vacation days may be accumulated in any given year.  A state employee with accrued vacation leave must be paid that accrued vacation leave if he or she is terminated due to death, reduction in force, resignation, dismissal, or retirement.  

A state employee may be granted leave from work due to unforeseen family care requirements as part of that employee=s compensatory exchange time, vacation leave, accrued sick leave, or leave without pay. 

                                                     Continued

HB 1519 - Page 2

SUMMARY:

The Washington state personnel resources boards is to adopt rules, consistent with the state=s civil service law, regarding state employee bereavement leave for a death in the family.  Such leave is to consist of two working days, which may not be deducted from the employee=s sick leave or vacation time.

FISCAL NOTE:  Not Requested.

EFFECTIVE DATE:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.