Brief Description: Requiring notice to certain employees of a claim of exemption from paying unemployment insurance taxes.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Benton, Keiser, Swecker, Kohl-Welles and Roach).

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on Commerce & Labor

Background: A church, or convention or association of churches, or an organization that is operated primarily for religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church, convention, or association is exempt from paying unemployment insurance taxes. As a result, the employees of these organizations generally will not be eligible for unemployment compensation.

Summary: A church, convention, association of churches, or an organization that is operated primarily for religious purposes and which is operated, supervised, controlled, or principally supported by a church, convention, or association must inform its employees that they may not be eligible to receive unemployment insurance based on their work for the church, convention, or association. The employer must provide written notice to every employee at the time of hire. The employer must display a poster in a conspicuous place giving notice of this exclusion. The Employment Security Department must provide these notices free of charge.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      46   0
House      96   0   (House amended)
Senate      46   1   (Senate concurred)

Effective:   July 22, 2007