1213-S2 AMH CORR LEON 942

2SHB 1213 - H AMD 641

By Representative Corry

NOT ADOPTED 03/10/2025

On page 5, beginning on line 28, after "for" strike "((eight)) four consecutive hours of leave" and insert "eight consecutive hours of leave, except as provided under section 11 of this act"

On page 7, beginning on line 30, strike all of sections 6 through 9

Renumber the remaining sections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.

On page 14, beginning on line 20, after "(6)(a)" strike all material through "leave" on line 30 and insert "((This)) Except as provided in section 11 of this act, this section does not apply unless the employee: (i) Works for an employer with ((fifty)) 50 or more employees; (ii) has been employed by the current employer for ((twelve)) 12 months or more; and (iii) has worked for the current employer for at least ((one thousand two hundred fifty)) 1,250 hours during the ((twelve)) 12 months immediately preceding the date on which leave will commence. For the purposes of this subsection, an employer shall be considered to employ ((fifty)) 50 or more employees if the employer employs ((fifty)) 50 or more employees for each working day during each of ((twenty)) 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year"

On page 17, beginning on line 3, strike all of section 11 and insert the following:

"NEW SECTION. Sec. 11. A new section is added to chapter 50A.35 RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this specific purpose, the department shall conduct a pilot project in order to assess the costs of expanding employment protection under this title. Beginning July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2031, any state employee:

(a) Is exempt from the minimum claim requirement in RCW 50A.15.020(2)(c) and may submit a claim of four consecutive hours of leave or more;

(b) Is exempt from the requirements in RCW 50A.35.010(6)(a) to qualify for employment protection, so long as the state employee has been employed with his or her current employer for 180 calendar days before taking the leave and is not otherwise denied protection or restoration for other reasons under RCW 50A.35.010; and

(c) Must receive a continuation of existing health care benefits for the duration of the leave period, so long as the state employee is entitled to employment protection under this title.

(2) The costs for benefits received by a state employee under this title must be reimbursed from monies appropriated from the state general fund for this purpose if:

(a) The relevant claim was for less than eight consecutive hours; or

(b) The state employee has been employed by the current employer for less than 12 months.

(3) The department shall submit a report to the governor and appropriate committees of the legislature by October 1st of each year through 2031, on the pilot program, which must include an analysis of any increases in utilization of benefits under this title based on the exemptions under subsections (1)(a) through (c) of this section, and a summary of the associated costs.

(4) For purposes of this section, "state employee" means any employee of the state of Washington, including any state agency, office, board, commission, department, or institution of higher education. It does not include school districts, cities, counties, towns, municipal corporations, or other local governments, or any division thereof."

--- END ---