FINAL BILL REPORT

                   SB 6220

                          C 239 L 98

                      Synopsis as Enacted

Brief Description:  Allowing airline employees to trade shifts without overtime pay.

Sponsors:  Senators Horn, Heavey, Schow, Fraser, Anderson, Franklin, Newhouse, Winsley and Patterson.

Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor

House Committee on Commerce & Labor

House Committee on Transportation Policy & Budget

Background:  Employees in the airline industry have a long-standing practice of trading shifts voluntarily which may, in some instances, mean that they are working more than 40 hours per week.  While federal law exempts airline employees from the provisions of federal overtime regulations, they are not exempt under state wage and hour provisions.  Thus, the voluntary trading of shifts among airline employees in Washington may obligate airlines to pay time and a half to those employees arranging with fellow employees to work an extra shift during the week, even though the airline is not requiring the extra hours of work.

Summary:  The state wage and hour laws requiring pay of one and one-half times the regular rate of pay for employees working over 40 hours per week do not apply to airline employees if those overtime hours are worked as a result of the employees' voluntary shift-trading.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate 49 0

House     97 0

Effective:  June 11, 1998