BILL REQ. #: S-1589.1
| State of Washington | 62nd Legislature | 2011 Regular Session |
Read first time 02/21/11. Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Consumer Protection.
AN ACT Relating to veterans' relief by permitting private employers to exercise a voluntary veterans' preference in employment; and adding a new section to chapter 73.16 RCW.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 73.16 RCW
to read as follows:
(1) The legislature intends to establish a permissive preference in
private employment for certain veterans.
(2) In every private, nonpublic employment in this state, honorably
discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines who are veterans of any war
of the United States, or of any military campaign for which a campaign
ribbon has been awarded, and their widows or widowers, may be preferred
for employment. Spouses of honorably discharged veterans who have a
service connected permanent and total disability may also be preferred
for employment. These preferences are not considered violations of any
state or local equal employment opportunity law, including but not
limited to any statute or regulation adopted under chapter 49.60 RCW.
(3) "Veteran" has the same meanings as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and
41.04.007, and includes a current member of the national guard or armed
forces reserves who has been deployed to serve in an armed conflict.