SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 5933

BYSenators Williams and Murray

Establishing an annual leave sharing program for state employees.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):February 27, 1989; March 1, 1989

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 5933 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass.

      Signed by Senators Lee, Chairman; Anderson, Vice Chairman; Murray, Smitherman, Warnke, Williams.

Senate Staff:Steve Boruchowitz (786-7429)

                  March 1, 1989

AS REPORTED BY COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & LABOR, MARCH 1, 1989

BACKGROUND:

In some cases, state employees who suffer from, or who have family members suffering from, a serious, long-term illness use all of their available sick and annual leave.  Such employees then either take leave without pay or terminate their employment, further adding to the economic hardship and emotional distress.

SUMMARY:

A leave contribution program is established for state employees (other than employees of school districts).  The program is to permit employees, at no cost to the state, to transfer annual leave to another employee.  The recipient employee must:  have an extraordinary or severe illness or injury, or have a family member with such a problem; have depleted or shortly will deplete all leave reserves; have diligently attempted to accrue sick leave; and not be eligible for industrial insurance benefits.

Agency heads determine the amount of leave transferred, not to exceed 261 days.

The donating employee may not request a transferred amount that would result in his or her leave balance falling below 10 days.

Unused leave is returned to donating employees on a pro rata basis.

The State Personnel Board and Higher Education Personnel Board are directed to administer the program, and to make rules defining program parameters and value of leave transferred.

The Director of the Office of Financial Management shall have final authority when questions of transfer of leave and related funds arise.

EFFECT OF PROPOSED SUBSTITUTE:

The value of leave transferred is to be based on the recipient's annual leave value, rather than left to rulemaking.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      available

Senate Committee - Testified: Ernest La Palm, Employment Security Department (pro); Karen Keiser, Washington State Labor Council (pro); Pat Thibaudeau, Washington Women United (pro)