H-3975.1

HOUSE BILL 2730

ByRepresentatives Kilduff, Ryu, Klippert, Appleton, Caldier, Davis, Leavitt, and Ormsby

AN ACT Relating to military spouse employment; adding a new section to chapter 73.16 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 38.42 RCW.

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

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 73.16 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The department of veterans affairs, employment security department, and department of commerce shall consult local chambers of commerce, associate development organizations, and businesses to initiate a demonstration campaign to increase military spouse employment. This campaign may include partnerships with chambers of commerce that result in business owners sharing, with the local chambers of commerce, information on the number of military spouses employed and the local chambers of commerce providing this information to the department of veterans affairs.

(2) Participants in the campaign are encouraged to work with the Washington state military transition council and county veterans' advisory boards as defined in RCW 73.08.035.

(3) Funding for the campaign shall be established from existing resources.

(4) For the purposes of this section, "military spouse" means any person married or previously married to a military service member, irrespective of the length of the marriage, during the military service member's service in any branch of the United States armed forces as an active duty service member, reservist, or national guard member.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 38.42 RCW to read as follows:

(1) The spouse of a service member may terminate an employment contract without penalty at any time after the service member receives military service orders for a permanent change of station if:

(a) The spouse provides written notice, including email, to the employer of the termination under this section; and

(b) The spouse provides written proof to the employer of the official orders showing that the service member has received military orders for a permanent change of station.

(2) Termination of an employment contract under this section is effective on the day notice is given under subsection (1) of this section or on a date mutually agreed to by the parties to the employment contract.

(3) An employer may not impose any penalty for termination of an employment contract under this section.

(4) For purposes of this section:

(a) "Employment contract" means a contract that establishes the terms of employment or other professional relationship with the spouse of a service member.

(b) "Penalty" means any fee or cost or liability for breach of contract or any other adverse consequence imposed by the employer.

(5) This section applies prospectively only and not retroactively. It applies only to employment contracts entered into on or after the effective date of this section.

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