BP BHEAD INT S [atlas:bill]

AN ACT Relating to state employee housing relocation assistance; amending RCW 43.03.110 and 43.03.120; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature declares that it is in the best interests of the citizens of the state of Washington to attract individuals of the highest caliber to careers in state public service, and to encourage them and others of similar distinction who are already part of the state work force to make a continuing commitment to public service. State agencies have offices and staff in every part of the state, including remote rural areas, and a need to recruit, retain, and promote the best and most highly qualified employees for these locations.

The legislature finds that one of the barriers to recruiting and promoting the best possible work force is the difficulty these employees and their families often face when moving from one area of the state to another. The legislature also finds that many private sector companies and federal agencies offer assistance, from paying moving costs to purchasing homes, to current or potential employees to recruit and retain the most highly qualified employees.

Therefore, it is in the best interests of the citizens of the state of Washington for state agencies to be authorized to offer housing relocation assistance to future or current employees.

Sec. 2. RCW 43.03.110 and 1967 ex.s. c 16 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

Whenever it is reasonably necessary to the successful performance of the required duty of a state office, commission, department, or institution to transfer a deputy or other employee from one station to another within the state, thereby necessitating a change of such deputy's or employee's domicile, it shall be lawful for such office, commission, department, or institution to pay relocation incentives, and to move such deputy's or employee's household goods and effects to the new station at the expense of the state, or to defray the actual cost of such removal by common carrier, or otherwise, at the expense of the state, in which latter event reimbursement to the deputy or employee shall be upon voucher submitted by ((~~him~~)) the employee and approved by the department head. Relocation incentives are subject to reasonable rules adopted by the director of financial management.

Sec. 3. RCW 43.03.120 and 1979 c 151 s 86 are each amended to read as follows:

Any state office, commission, department, or institution may also pay ((~~the~~)) relocation incentives and moving expenses of a new employee, necessitated by ((~~his~~)) the employee's acceptance of state employment, pursuant to mutual agreement with such employee in advance of ((~~his~~)) the employee's employment: PROVIDED, That if such employee is in the classified service as defined in chapter 41.06 RCW, ((~~that said~~)) the employee has been duly certified from an eligible register. No such offer or agreement for such payment shall be made to a prospective member of the classified service, prior to such certification, except through appropriate public announcement by the department of personnel, or other corresponding personnel agency as provided by chapter 41.06 RCW. Payment for all expenses authorized by RCW 43.03.060, 43.03.110 through 43.03.210 including relocation incentives and moving expenses of new employees, exempt or classified, and others, shall be subject to reasonable ((~~regulations promulgated~~)) rules adopted by the director of financial management, including ((~~regulations~~)) rules defining allowable relocation incentives and moving costs: PROVIDED, That, if the new employee terminates or causes termination of ((~~his~~)) the employee's employment with the state within one year of the date of employment, the state shall be entitled to reimbursement for ((~~the~~)) relocation incentives and moving costs which have been paid and may withhold such sum as necessary therefor from any amounts due the employee.