Washington State

House of Representatives

Office of Program Research

BILL

ANALYSIS

Ways & Means Committee

HB 2133

This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent.

Brief Description: Authorizing the use of accumulated sick leave for volunteer work.

Sponsors: Representatives White, Hunt, Kenney, Maxwell, Upthegrove, Hudgins, Rolfes and Wood.

Brief Summary of Bill

  • Permits state employees to use up to 24 hours of sick leave per year to perform volunteer services.

  • Qualifying volunteer service for an employee is (1) at the school attended by the employee’s child, or (2) at a nonsectarian tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

  • Allows an employee that volunteers during the employee’s normal shift to make up the hours at other times to avoid using sick leave.

  • Requires the Department of Personnel to adopt rules and processes to verify employees' qualified volunteer service activities.

Hearing Date: 2/24/09

Staff: David Pringle (786-7310)

Background:

Full-time state agency employees earn one day of sick leave each month. Paid sick leave may be used for the following: illness, injury, or preventive health care; exposure to a contagious disease that might endanger others; disability due to pregnancy or childbirth; and the illness, injury, or death of relatives.

Summary of Bill:

State agency heads shall permit employees to use up to 24 hours of sick leave per year, up to four hours of which can be used in any month, to perform certain specified volunteer services. Qualifying volunteer services include volunteering (1) at the school attended by the employee’s child, or (2) at a nonsectarian tax-exempt nonprofit organization.

In addition to permitting the use of sick leave for the volunteer services, employees may also make up time used volunteering for the qualified purposes during their normal shifts by working during other periods of time. State employees using sick leave for volunteer service must retain a balance of 176 hours of sick leave, and higher education, school district, or educational service district employees must retain a balance of 22 days.

The employee must submit a leave request specifying the name of the school or organization where the employee will volunteer, and the employee’s agency must receive verification that the employee performed the volunteer service.

Within available funds, the Department of Personnel shall adopt rules to implement the sick leave for volunteer service provisions, including developing a process to verify that volunteer service was performed by the employee.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Requested on February 17, 2009.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.