AN ACT Relating to removing the requirement that an employee must work at least six months before taking vacation leave; amending RCW 43.01.040, 43.01.044, and 43.01.041; providing an effective date; and declaring an emergency.

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

Sec. 1.  RCW 43.01.040 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 43 s 449 are each amended to read as follows:

Each subordinate officer and employee of the several offices, departments, and institutions of the state government shall be entitled under their contract of employment with the state government to not less than ((one working day)) eight hours of vacation leave with full pay for each month of employment ((if said employment is continuous for six months)).

Each such subordinate officer and employee shall be entitled under such contract of employment to not less than ((one)) eight additional ((working day)) hours of vacation with full pay each year for satisfactorily completing the first two, three, and five continuous years of employment respectively.

Such part-time officers or employees of the state government who are employed on a regular schedule of duration of not less than one year shall be entitled under their contract of employment to that fractional part of the vacation leave that the total number of hours of such employment bears to the total number of hours of full-time employment.

Each subordinate officer and employee of the several offices, departments, and institutions of the state government shall be entitled under his or her contract of employment with the state government to accrue unused vacation leave not to exceed ((thirty working days)) two hundred forty hours. Officers and employees transferring within the several offices, departments, and institutions of the state government shall be entitled to transfer such accrued vacation leave to each succeeding state office, department, or institution. All vacation leave shall be taken at the time convenient to the employing office, department, or institution: PROVIDED, That if a subordinate officer's or employee's request for vacation leave is deferred by reason of the convenience of the employing office, department, or institution, and a statement of the necessity therefor is retained by the agency, then the aforesaid maximum ((thirty working days)) two hundred forty hours of accrued unused vacation leave shall be extended for each month said leave is so deferred.

Sec. 2.  RCW 43.01.044 and 1983 c 283 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

As an alternative, in addition to the provisions of RCW 43.01.040 authorizing the accumulation of vacation leave in excess of ((thirty days)) two hundred forty hours with the filing of a statement of necessity, vacation leave in excess of ((thirty days)) two hundred forty hours may also be accumulated as provided in this section but without the filing of a statement of necessity. The accumulation of leave under this alternative method shall be governed by the following provisions:

(1) Each subordinate officer and employee of the several offices, departments, and institutions of state government may accumulate the vacation leave ((days)) hours between the time ((thirty days)) two hundred forty hours is accrued and his or her anniversary date of state employment.

(2) All vacation ((days)) hours accumulated under this section shall be used by the anniversary date and at a time convenient to the employing office, department, or institution. If an officer or employee does not use the excess leave by the anniversary date, then such leave shall be automatically extinguished and considered to have never existed.

(3) This section shall not result in any increase in a retirement allowance under any public retirement system in this state.

(4) Should the legislature revoke any benefits or rights provided under this section, no affected officer or employee shall be entitled thereafter to receive such benefits or exercise such rights as a matter of contractual right.

(5) Vacation leave credit acquired and accumulated under this section shall never, regardless of circumstances, be deferred by the employing office, department, or institution by filing a statement of necessity under the provisions of RCW 43.01.040.

(6) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, on or after July 24, 1983, a statement of necessity for excess leave((,)) shall, as a minimum, include the following: (a) The specific number of ((days)) hours of excess leave; and (b) the date on which it was authorized. A copy of any such authorization shall be sent to the department of retirement systems.

Sec. 3.  RCW 43.01.041 and 2011 1st sp.s. c 39 s 13 are each amended to read as follows:

Officers and employees referred to in RCW 43.01.040 whose employment is terminated by their death, reduction in force, resignation, dismissal, or retirement, who have been employed for at least six continuous months, and who have accrued vacation leave as specified in RCW 43.01.040 or 43.01.044, shall be paid therefor under their contract of employment, or their estate if they are deceased, or if the employee in case of voluntary resignation has provided adequate notice of termination. ((Annual)) Vacation leave accumulated under RCW 43.01.044 is not to be included in the computation of retirement benefits. From July 1, 2011, through June 29, 2013, the amount of pay received by an employee under the provisions of this section shall not be reduced by any temporary salary reduction.

Should the legislature revoke any benefits or rights provided under chapter 292, Laws of 1985, no affected officer or employee shall be entitled thereafter to receive such benefits or exercise such rights as a matter of contractual right.

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