SENATE BILL REPORT

HB 2266

As of June 6, 2003

Title: An act relating to leave sharing.

Brief Description: Revising the state leave sharing program.

Sponsors: Representatives Hunt and Romero.

Brief History:

Staff: Diane Smith (786-7410)

Background: In 1989 the Legislature created a leave sharing program. The leave sharing program permits state agency, school district, and education school district employees to donate some of their annual or sick leave to a fellow employee who faces losing his or her job or going on leave without pay due to an extraordinary illness or injury that has caused that employee to deplete his or her sick and annual leave reserves. The illness or injury may be to an employee, a relative, or a member of the employee's household.

Employees may transfer a specified amount of sick leave to an employee requesting shared leave as long as they maintain a minimum of 480 hours or 60 days of sick leave after the transfer. An employee may transfer no more than six days of sick leave during any 12-month period. Employees may also donate any amount of annual leave as long as they maintain a balance of ten days.

The agency head determines the amount of leave, if any, an employee may receive under this section; however, an employee may not receive a total of more than 261 days of leave.

State employees are entitled to 15 days of military leave with pay each year in addition to any other vacation and sick leave they earn. Employees who take more than 15 days of military leave in a year may do so without pay, and are granted substantial rights to return to their former positions upon return.

Summary of Bill: An agency head may permit an employee to receive donated personal holidays, annual or sick leave if the employee has been called to service in the uniformed services and if that employee has depleted his or her own annual leave and paid military leave. This service includes voluntary or involuntary service in the armed forces, the National Guard, the commissioned public heath services, the Coast Guard, or service by any other category of persons designated by the President of the United State in time of war or national emergency.

The amount of sick leave that must be retained by employees donating leave is lowered. An employee donating sick leave must maintain a minimum of 176 hours or 22 days of sick leave after the transfer. The restriction on employees transferring more than six days of sick leave during any 12-month period is removed.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill contains an emergency clause and takes effect immediately.