SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6811

              As Reported By Senate Committee On:

              Higher Education, February 4, 2000

                Ways & Means, February 8, 2000

Title:  An act relating to sick leave and leave sharing for part‑time academic employees of community and technical colleges.

Brief Description:  Providing for sick leave and leave sharing for part‑time academic employees at community and technical colleges.

Sponsors:  Senators Kohl‑Welles, Jacobsen, Shin, B. Sheldon, Winsley, McAuliffe, Roach, Thibaudeau, Spanel, Bauer and Goings.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Higher Education:  2/2/2000, 2/4/2000 [DPS-WM].

Ways & Means:  2/7/2000, 2/8/2000 [DP2S].

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION

Majority Report:  That Substitute Senate Bill No. 6811 be substituted therefor, and the substitute bill do pass and be referred to Committee on Ways & Means.

  Signed by Senators Kohl-Welles, Chair; Shin, Vice Chair; Bauer, Finkbeiner, Horn, Jacobsen, McAuliffe, Sheahan and B. Sheldon.

Staff:  Jean Six (786-7423)

SENATE COMMITTEE ON WAYS & MEANS

Majority Report:  That Second Substitute Senate Bill No. 6811 be substituted therefor, and the second substitute bill do pass.

  Signed by Senators Loveland, Chair; Bauer, Vice Chair; Fairley, Fraser, Kline, Kohl-Welles, Long, McDonald, Rasmussen, Roach, Rossi, B. Sheldon, Snyder, Spanel, West, Winsley and Zarelli.

Staff:  Karen Barrett (786-7711)

Background:  The 1996 Legislature passed two bills requiring recommendations from the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) on the issue of adjunct faculty employment.  To avoid duplication of effort in responding to the two legislative directives, the SBCTC considered all relevant issues through the Best Practices Task Force that issued a report endorsed by the SBCTC and received by the 1997 Legislature.

The report's best practice number nine states "The best practice is to develop/bargain a policy that provides some sick leave to adjunct faculty who have a continuing relationship with the colleges."

Summary of Substitute Bill:  Sick leave is established for part-time faculty on a pro-rata basis as recommended by the Best Practices Task Force.  Hours earned (maximum 12 days a year) continue to be subject to collective bargaining but not the benefit itself.

Leave policies written by trustees must conform with the right to sick leave established for part-time faculty and sick leave portability.  Collective bargaining agreements must include pro-rata sick leave provisions for part-time faculty.  The ability to accumulate leave is available to part-time faculty after one quarter of employment.  Part-time faculty may participate in the attendance incentive program.

The new policy does not apply to existing agreements that have already been bargained.

Second Substitute Bill Compared to Substitute Bill:  The waiting period to accrue unused sick leave is lowered from three quarters to one quarter of prior employment.  A null and void clause is removed, and if enacted, the measure takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session.

Substitute Bill Compared to Original Bill:  Part-time faculty may participate in the attendance incentive program.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Available.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Many colleges already provide sick leave benefits to their part-time faculty.  These benefits are locally bargained.  SBCTC encourages the local boards to provide benefits for part-time faculty.  Individual colleges use different eligibility criteria.  Shared leave opportunity is also available on many campuses but is needed for all.  Please be cautious with multiple-institution accruals.  It is important for us to have our sick leave carry over and accumulate over time.  Part-time faculty are so poorly paid they ought to be able to receive this benefit.  Part-timers are not transient employees; many have long-term commitments to the teaching profession.  Is there a way to grandfather in many of the long-time employees? This is an excellent bill and is the right thing to do.  This is an important step toward equal  pay for equal work.  The three quarter waiting period is quite long.  Can the teaching be at multiple colleges?  Olympic College has no leave for part-timers.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  John Boesenberg, SBCTC; Jack O=Harah, President, Edmonds CC; Susan Levy, WFT; Lynne Dodson, WFT, SCCFT; Jack Longmate, Dana Rush, Part-time Faculty Assn.; Wendy Rader-Konafalski, WFT.