FINAL BILL REPORT

                  SSB 5609

                           C 50 L 99

                      Synopsis as Enacted

 

Brief Description:  Making awards for state employees= suggestions.

 

Sponsors:  Senate Committee on Ways & Means (originally sponsored by Senators Horn, Prentice, Winsley, Haugen and Costa; by request of Secretary of State).

 

Senate Committee on State & Local Government

Senate Committee on Ways & Means

House Committee on State Government

 

Background:  Employee suggestion programs are developed to encourage and reward meritorious suggestions by state employees that promote efficiency and economy in the performance of any function of state government.

 

The program is governed by the Productivity Board and administered by the Secretary of State.  The board may approve employee suggestion awards up to $10,000 to individual employees or employee teamwork incentive awards to groups of employees who achieve cost savings or increased revenue, not to exceed 25 percent of the savings or revenue.  In addition to suggestion awards and teamwork incentive awards, agencies may give recognition awards to employees to recognize outstanding achieve­ments, safety performance, or longevity.  Such awards cannot exceed a value of $100.

 

Summary:  The Productivity Board must adopt rules establishing a payment awards schedule.  Detailed criteria for determining savings or revenue generated by employee teamwork is deleted, and the board is directed to establish criteria by rule.

 

The board may delegate to an agency head the authority to establish an agency-unique suggestion program, with awards to be granted by the agency head pursuant to the payment award schedule adopted by the board.

 

The maximum allowable amount of employee recognition awards is increased from $100 to $200.

 

Votes on Final Passage:

 

Senate 46 0

House     91 0

 

Effective:  July 25, 1999