S-0345.1  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 5227

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senators Heavey, McCaslin and Deccio

Read first time 01/18/1999.  Referred to Committee on Labor & Workforce Development.

Permitting employees to copy personnel files.

    AN ACT Relating to employee copies of personnel files; and amending RCW 49.12.240.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 49.12.240 and 1985 c 336 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    Every employer shall, at least annually, upon the request of an employee, permit that employee to inspect and copy any or all of his or her own personnel file(s).

No fee may be charged for inspecting the personnel file or for locating the personnel file and making it available for copying.  However, a charge may be imposed to reimburse the employer for providing the copies and for the use of the employer equipment to copy the personnel file.  The charge shall be for either the actual costs directly incident to the copying or fifteen cents per page, whichever is less.

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