S-880                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 5934

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senator Williams

Read first time 2/16/89 and referred to Committee on  Economic Development & Labor.

AN ACT Relating to family and medical leave; and creating a new section.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The department of labor and industries is directed to undertake a study on the best means of establishing an insurance program to provide compensation during family and medical leave.  The study shall consider:

          (1) Determining the level of compensation that could be provided by the program to assist a family when a wage-earner is on family or medical leave;

          (2) Establishing criteria for providing assistance to employees on family or medical leave;

          (3) Establishing a payroll deduction system to finance the program, with the program paid for by employees, employers, or both;

          (4) Establishing funding requirements for the program and contribution requirements from employees and employers;

          (5) Determining whether the plan should be administered by an independent board or the department;

          (6) Researching alternative means of providing assistance to families during family and medical leave; and

          (7) Researching means of providing assistance to affected employers.

          The department shall develop recommendations and report to the legislature by December 1, 1990.