Read first time 02/04/09.   Referred to Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs.

     AN ACT Relating to leave for service animal training; and adding a new chapter to Title 49 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   It is in the public interest to reasonably accommodate employees with sensory disabilities in order to allow them to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are experienced by similarly situated employees without disabilities. Employees with sensory disabilities are occasionally compelled to attend training necessary to attain a new service animal. This training provides the employee with skills and resources necessary to maintain and enhance his or her job performance in the workplace, but may cause the employee to miss work. It is in the public interest to provide allowances for employees with sensory disabilities who must attend training necessary to attain a new service animal.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   The definition in this section applies throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
     "Sensory disability" means a sensory condition that materially limits, contributes to limiting, or, if not corrected or accommodated, will probably result in limiting an individual's activities or functioning.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   The department of personnel shall adopt rules that authorize state agencies to provide allowances to employees with sensory disabilities who must attend training necessary to attain a new service animal. The employee's absence must be treated in the same manner as that granted to employees who are absent to attend training that supports or improves their job performance, except that the employee shall not be eligible for reimbursement under RCW 43.03.050 or 43.03.060. The department of personnel shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this chapter.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 4   If the necessity to attend training for a new service animal is foreseeable and the training will cause the employee to miss work, the employee shall provide the employer with not less than thirty days' notice, before the date the absence is to begin, of the employee's impending absence. If the date of the training requires the absence to begin in less than thirty days, the employee shall provide notice as is practicable.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5   An agency may require that a request to attend service animal training be supported by a certification issued by the relevant training organization. The employee must provide, in a timely manner, a copy of the certification to the agency. Certification provided under this section is sufficient if it states: (1) The date on which the service animal training session is scheduled to commence; and (2) the session's duration.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 6   Sections 1 through 5 of this act constitute a new chapter in Title 49 RCW.