FINAL BILL REPORT
ESSB 6724
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. |
C 168 L 10
Synopsis as Enacted
Brief Description: Addressing the shared leave program.
Sponsors: Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections (originally sponsored by Senators Kilmer, Kauffman, Eide, Berkey, Murray, Shin and Keiser).
Senate Committee on Government Operations & Elections
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs
House Committee on Ways & Means
Background: The Washington State Leave Sharing Program (Program) was enacted by the Legislature in 1989 for state employees. The Program permits state agency, school district, and educational service district employees to donate some of their annual sick leave to fellow employees that may lose their job or go on leave without pay due to certain specified conditions. These conditions include extraordinary illness, injury, or impairment that has caused an employee to exhaust the balance of their sick and annual leave. The illness or injury may be to an employee, a relative, or an employee's household member.
Current law provides that an employee may transfer leave with another employee of the same agency. Additionally, an employee may transfer leave with an employee of another agency if approved by the heads of both agencies. Employees of school districts or educational service districts, however, may only transfer leave between employees within the same employing district.
Summary: A state employee may receive up to 522 days of leave. An employer may grant leave above the 522 day cap in extraordinary circumstances if an employee suffers from severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental conditions. Shared leave received under the uniformed service shared leave pool is not subject to these limitations. The director of personnel is authorized to adopt rules as necessary to implement such changes.
Current statutory provisions limiting leave sharing between employees of a school district or education service district are amended. Employees of a school district or educational service district are authorized to share leave with employees in another agency.
A technical correction is made amending the title.
Votes on Final Passage:
Senate | 45 | 0 | |
House | 98 | 0 | (House amended) |
Senate | 46 | 0 | (Senate concurred) |
Effective: | March 23, 2010 |