H-1303              _______________________________________________

                                                   HOUSE BILL NO. 1712

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Representatives R. King, Patrick and Sprenkle

Read first time 2/3/89 and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor. Referred 2/22/89 to Committee on Appropriations.

AN ACT Relating to state employee return-to-work programs; adding a new section to chapter 41.06 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 51.32 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 41.06 RCW to read as follows:

          (1) In addition to the rules adopted under RCW 41.06.150, the board shall adopt rules establishing a state employee return-to-work program.  The program shall, at a minimum:

          (a) Direct each agency to adopt a return-to-work policy.  The program shall allow each agency program to take into consideration the special nature of employment in the agency;

          (b) Provide for eligibility in the return-to-work program, two years from the date the temporary disability commenced, for any permanent employee who is receiving compensation under RCW 51.32.090 and who is, by reason of his or her temporary disability, unable to return to his or her previous work, but who is physically capable of carrying out work of a lighter or modified nature;

          (c) Allow opportunity for return-to-work state-wide when appropriate job classifications are not available in the agency that is the appointing authority at the time of injury;

          (d) Require each agency to name an agency representative responsible for coordinating the return-to-work program of the agency;

          (e) Provide that applicants receiving appointments for classified service receive an explanation of the return-to-work policy;

          (f) Require training of supervisors on implementation of the return-to-work policy, including but not limited to assessment of the appropriateness of the return-to-work job for the employee; and

          (g) Coordinate participation of applicable employee assistance programs, as appropriate.

          (2) The agency full-time equivalents necessary to implement the return-to-work program established under this section shall be used only for the purposes of the return-to-work program and the net increase in full-time equivalents shall be temporary.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 51.32 RCW to read as follows:

          The department shall establish a state employee vocational rehabilitation service to provide technical assistance and coordination of claims management to state agencies under the state return-to-work program created by section 1 of this act.