SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 5700

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

       Labor & Workforce Development, February 11, 1999

Title:  An act relating to limiting state use of long‑term temporary or leased employees.

Brief Description:  Limiting state use of long‑term temporary or leased employees.

Sponsors:  Senator Fairley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor & Workforce Development:  2/4/99, 2/11/99 [DP, DNP].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Majority Report:  Do pass.

  Signed by Senators Fairley, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Kline and Wojahn.

Minority Report:  Do not pass.

  Signed by Senator Hochstatter.

Staff:  Jill Reinmuth (786-7452)

Background:  State agencies sometimes use long‑term temporary and leased employees in lieu of state employees to fulfill statutory obligations and meet demands for public services.  These agencies may have an insufficient allocation of full-time equivalent staff positions (FTEs) for such obligations and demands.  These temporary and leased employees may earn lower wages and lack employment based benefits.

Summary of Bill:  State agencies may not procure services through a temporary service agency, an employee leasing agency, or another similar entity for more than three months in a fiscal year.  Services include personal services and purchased services.

Personal services means professional or technical expertise provided by a consultant to accomplish a specific study, project, task, or other work statement.

Purchased services means services provided by a vendor to accomplish routine, continuing and necessary functions.  Such services include equipment maintenance and repair, physical plant operation, security, computer hardware and software maintenance, data entry, key punch services, computer timesharing, contract programming, and analysis.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on February 2, 1999.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  State use of temporary service agencies and employee leasing agencies is addressed, but state use of temporary workers is not.  A widespread problem is addressed.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  PRO:  Robert Stern, Washington State Labor Council; Dan Sexton, Washington State Association of Plumbers and Pipefitters.