SENATE BILL REPORT

SB 6456

BYSenators Warnke, Gaspard, Rinehart, Williams, Murray, Bauer and Rasmussen

Revising the leave sharing program to include sick leave.

Senate Committee on Economic Development & Labor

Senate Hearing Date(s):January 25, 1990

Senate Staff:Jonathan Seib (786-7427)

AS OF JANUARY 24, 1990

BACKGROUND:

SSB 5933, passed during the 1989 legislative session and codified in RCW 41.04.660, created a leave sharing program for state employees.  It permits an employee, in certain limited situations and subject to state or local administrative rules, to transfer his or her annual leave to another employee.  Some state employees, primarily teachers, are on nine month contracts and receive leave only for "illness, injuries and emergencies." This is typically considered "sick leave" and because the leave sharing program applies only to "annual leave," they have been unable to utilize the program.

SUMMARY:

State employees who do not accrue annual leave but do accrue sick leave may transfer sick leave to another employee under the leave sharing program.  An employee may not transfer more than six days of leave during any 12-month period, and may not transfer leave that would bring his or her sick leave account to below 60 days.

Appropriation:    none

Revenue:    none

Fiscal Note:      requested