BILL REQ. #: S-4138.1
| State of Washington | 58th Legislature | 2004 Regular Session |
Read first time 01/26/2004. Referred to Committee on Children & Family Services & Corrections.
AN ACT Relating to child care workers; adding new sections to chapter 74.13 RCW; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
NEW SECTION. Sec. 1 A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW
to read as follows:
The legislature finds that as of 2000, child care workers in the
state earned an average hourly wage of eight dollars and twenty-two
cents, only fifty-eight percent received medical insurance through
employers, only sixty-six percent received paid sick leave, and only
seventy-three percent received paid vacation. The legislature further
finds that low wages for child care workers create a barrier for
individuals entering the profession, result in child care workers
leaving the profession in order to earn a living wage in another
profession, and make it difficult for child care workers to afford
professional education and training. As a result, the availability of
quality child care in the state suffers.
The legislature intends to increase wages to child care workers
through establishing a wage ladder that provides increased wages for
child care workers based on their work experience, level of
responsibility, and education.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 2 A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW
to read as follows:
The division of child care and early learning in the department of
social and health services shall establish a wage ladder for child care
workers in licensed child care centers that meet the following
criteria: (1) At least ten percent of child care slots are dedicated
to children whose care is subsidized by the state or any political
subdivision thereof or any local government; (2) agree to adopt the
wage ladder; and (3) meet further program standards as established by
rule pursuant to section 4 of this act.
The wage ladder shall include wage increments for levels of
education, years of relevant experience, levels of work responsibility,
and relevant early childhood education credits. The wage ladder shall
provide a fifty cents an hour wage increment for all workers listed in
the state training and registry system.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 3 A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW
to read as follows:
Child care centers adopting the wage ladder established pursuant to
section 2 of this act shall increase wages for child care workers who
have earned a high school diploma or GED certificate, gain additional
years of experience, or accept increasing levels of responsibility in
providing child care, in accordance with the wage ladder. The
department of social and health services shall pay wage increments for
child care workers employed by child care centers adopting the wage
ladder established pursuant to section 2 of this act who earn early
childhood education credits or who are listed in the state training and
registry system, in accordance with the wage ladder.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 4 A new section is added to chapter 74.13 RCW
to read as follows:
The division of child care and early learning in the department of
social and health services shall establish further program standards by
rule. The division of child care and early learning shall also study
the impact of the wage ladder on the quality of child care and the
child care work force, and report its findings to the governor and the
appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2005.
NEW SECTION. Sec. 5 The sum of two million dollars, or as much
thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated from the general fund to
the department of social and health services for the fiscal year ending
June 30, 2005, to carry out the purposes of this act.