Brief Description: Authorizing leave sharing for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Eide, Kohl-Welles, Stevens, Shin, Rasmussen, Kline, Spanel, Holmquist and Haugen; by request of Attorney General).

Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development
House Committee on State Government & Tribal Affairs

Background: In 1989 the Legislature enacted the Washington State Leave Sharing Program (Program) for state employees. The stated purpose of the Program is to permit state employees to donate annual leave, sick leave, or personal holidays to fellow state employees who are suffering from, or have relatives or household members who are suffering from, an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment. An employee may also receive shared leave if the employee has been called to service in the uniformed services, or a state emergency has been declared anywhere within the United States by the federal or any state government that has caused or is likely to cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment. As long as a certain balance is maintained, an employee may transfer annual leave, sick leave, or all of his or her personal holiday to an employee in the Program.

If an employee qualifies to participate in the Program, the agency head determines the amount of leave, not to exceed 261 days, that the employee may receive. The agency head also determines when the leave is no longer needed or will not be needed at a future time in connection with the illness or injury for which it was granted.

Summary: An agency head may permit an employee to receive leave under the Program if the employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

Votes on Final Passage:

Senate      48   0
House      95   0

Effective: October 1, 2008