Brief Description: Revising provisions for shared leave.

Sponsors: By Representatives Appleton and Hunt.

House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs
Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections

Background:

In 1989, the Legislature enacted the Washington State Leave Sharing Program (Program) for state employees. The stated purpose of the Program is to permit state employees to donate annual leave, sick leave, or personal holidays to fellow state employees who are suffering from, or have relatives or household members who are suffering from, an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment. As long as a certain balance is maintained, an employee may transfer annual leave, sick leave, or all of his or her personal holiday to an employee in the Program.

If an employee qualifies to participate in the Program, the agency head determines the amount of leave, not to exceed 261 days, that the employee may receive. The agency head also determines when the leave is no longer needed or will not be needed at a future time in connection with the illness or injury for which it was granted.

Summary:

Agency heads may authorize an employee to receive shared leave for emergency volunteer service connected with state or federally declared emergencies anywhere in the United States when the emergency volunteer service would cause the employee to take leave without pay or to terminate state employment, and the employee has depleted, or will shortly deplete, his or her annual and sick leave reserves. Qualifying employees must have skills necessary for the humanitarian relief organized and have been accepted as a volunteer by either a governmental or nonprofit organization engaged in that effort.

Employees who have been permitted to use shared leave for a declared emergency are subject to the same requirements and benefits as those receiving shared leave due to personal or household illness or those who have been called to military service.

Before an agency head makes a determination to return unused leave under the Program, he or she must receive a statement from the affected employee's doctor verifying that the illness or injury is resolved. Granted leave under the Program may be used for any other qualifying condition, in addition to the illness or injury for which the leave was originally granted.

Votes on Final Passage:

House   96   0
Senate   44   0   (Senate amended)
House   95   0   (House concurred)

Effective: July 22, 2007