S-3296.2  _______________________________________________

                         SENATE BILL 6426

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington   57th Legislature        2002 Regular Session

By Senators Keiser, Winsley, Prentice, Franklin, Thibaudeau and Kohl‑Welles

Read first time 01/17/2002.  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Financial Institutions.

Allowing sick leave to care for family members.

    AN ACT Relating to use of employer-granted leave to care for family members with serious medical conditions; amending RCW 49.12.270; and adding new sections to chapter 49.12 RCW.

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

    Sec. 1.  RCW 49.12.270 and 1988 c 236 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:

    An employer shall allow an employee to use the employee's ((accrued)) choice of sick leave or other paid time off to care for a ((child of the employee under the age of eighteen)) spouse, child, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent of the employee with a health condition that requires treatment or supervision.  Use of leave other than ((accrued)) sick leave or other paid time off to care for a child, spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent under the circumstances described in this section shall be governed by the terms of the appropriate collective bargaining agreement or employer policy, as applicable.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 49.12 RCW to read as follows:

    The definitions in this section apply throughout RCW 49.12.270 through 49.12.295 unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

    (1) "Child" means a biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis who is:  (a) Under eighteen years of age; or (b) eighteen years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

    (2) "Grandparent" means a parent of a parent of an employee.

    (3) "Parent" means a biological parent of an employee or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child.

    (4) "Parent-in-law" means a parent of the spouse of an employee.

    (5) "Spouse" means a husband or wife, as the case may be.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.  A new section is added to chapter 49.12 RCW to read as follows:

    An employer shall not discharge, threaten to discharge, demote, suspend, discipline, or otherwise discriminate against an employee because the employee:  (1) Has exercised, or attempted to exercise, any right provided under RCW 49.12.270 through 49.12.295; or (2) has filed a complaint, testified, or assisted in any proceeding under RCW 49.12.270 through 49.12.295.

                            --- END ---