Washington State House of Representatives Office of Program Research | BILL ANALYSIS |
State Government & Tribal Relations Committee |
HB 2675
This analysis was prepared by non-partisan legislative staff for the use of legislative members in their deliberations. This analysis is not a part of the legislation nor does it constitute a statement of legislative intent. |
Brief Description: Allowing the use of parental leave after a pregnancy disability is resolved.
Sponsors: Representatives Robinson, Leavitt and Senn; by request of Office of Financial Management.
Brief Summary of Bill |
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Hearing Date: 1/29/20
Staff: Carrington Skinner (786-7192).
Background:
The shared leave program permits state employees to provide annual leave, sick leave, or personal holidays to fellow employees experiencing certain circumstances that may cause them to take leave without pay or terminate their employment. Covered employees include those employed by school districts and educational service districts.
Agency heads may permit an employee to receive shared leave in specified circumstances, including when the employee, or a relative or household member of the employee, suffers from an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition, or when the employee has been called to service in the uniformed services. Within certain parameters, the agency head must determine the amount of leave, if any, the employee may receive.
Leave may also be granted when an employee needs time for parental leave or when the employee is sick or temporarily disabled because of a pregnancy disability. Parental leave is leave that is used to bond and care for a newborn child after birth, or to bond and care for a child after placement for adoption or foster care. This leave may be taken up to 16 weeks following the birth or placement. Pregnancy disabilities are pregnancy-related conditions or miscarriages. For parental leave or leave taken due to a pregnancy disability, employees are not required to deplete all of their annual and sick leave, and may maintain up to 40 hours of annual leave and 40 hours of sick leave in reserve.
Summary of Bill:
The definition of "parental leave" for purposes of the shared leave program is modified as follows:
in cases where a birth parent also has a pregnancy disability, any parental leave will begin immediately after the pregnancy disability has resolved;
any parental leave used after a pregnancy disability has been resolved must be used within the first year following birth; and
the 16-week period in which parental leave may be taken is specified to begin immediately following birth or placement.
Appropriation: None.
Fiscal Note: Available.
Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of the session in which the bill is passed.