SB 6059

Brief Description: Authorizing state agencies to create sick leave pools for employees.

Sponsors: Senators Berkey, Haugen, McAuliffe, Franklin, Rockefeller, Schoesler, Eide, Weinstein, Rasmussen, Shin, Delvin, Mulliken, Oke, Parlette and Kohl-Welles.

Majority Report: Do pass.Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Franklin, Vice Chair; Parlette, Ranking Minority Member; Hewitt, Honeyford, Keiser and Prentice.

Background: Sick leave pools permit employees to contribute sick time, and in return are able to use time from this pool if the employee meets the proper criteria.

Summary of Bill: Each department or agency of the state may establish a voluntary sick leave pool to be used by a participating employee if he or she has otherwise used all of his or her sick, vacation, or compensatory time. Time in the sick leave pool may only be used for the employee's personal illness, accident, or injury.

An employee may participate in the sick leave pool after one year of employment with the state, and an employee who cancels his or her participation in a sick leave pool may not withdraw the sick leave he or she has contributed. Part-time employees may participate in sick leave pools on a pro-rata basis.

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

Testimony For: Creating sick leave pools improves agency flexibility and provides a benefit to those struck by a catastrophic illness. Florida, among other states and the federal government, has permitted sick leave pools for decades. Permitting sick leave pools prevents the embarrassment of asking employees to donate sick time and having to disclose your illness. This proposal is revenue neutral.

House Amendment(s): The House striking amendment requires the Department of Personnel to establish rules to create a sick leave pool for state employees and permits state agencies and departments to allow employees to participate in the sick leave pool established by the Department of Personnel. It establishes an effective date of July 1, 2007. The House amendment to the striking amendment establishes that eligibility to participate in a sick leave pool is contingent on an employee using all sick, annual, and compensatory leave accrued to the employee, instead of being required to use only all sick leave accrued to the employee. It specifies that personnel authorities for higher education institutions are not required to adopt the sick leave pool rules enumerated in the act, and provides that personnel authorities of higher education institutions must adopt their own policies, consistent with the needs of the employees under their respective jurisdictions, to govern sick leave pools.