FINAL BILL REPORT

SSB 6003

                              C 69 L 89

BYSenate Committee on Education (originally sponsored by Senators Bailey, Rinehart, Gaspard, Murray, Warnke, Bauer, Patterson and Craswell)

Permitting school and educational service districts to provide employees with postretirement medical benefits for unused sick leave.

Senate Committee on Education

House Committe on Education

SYNOPSIS AS ENACTED

BACKGROUND:

School district and educational service district boards of directors are required to establish attendance incentive programs for certificated and noncertificated employees.  Under attendance incentive programs, employees may choose to receive money for unused sick leave at a rate equal to one day's salary for every four days of sick leave in excess of 60 days.  When an employee retires, the employee is entitled to remuneration at a rate equivalent to one day's salary for each four days of accrued sick leave.

Approximately 55 school districts give employees the choice of receiving cash for their unused sick leave or receiving postretirement benefits.  A number of other school districts are reluctant to provide employees with this option without specific legislative authority.

SUMMARY:

School district and educational service district boards of directors may provide employees at retirement with the option of receiving cash for their unused sick leave at the current rate of one day's salary for every four days earned or, with equivalent funds, with the option of receiving postretirement medical benefits.

VOTES ON FINAL PASSAGE:

     Senate   48    0

     House 97  0

EFFECTIVE:July 23, 1989