Personnel & Labor Relations

LEOFF 1 Medical Liability/Elimination of Benefit Cap (SHB 2688/SB 6447)

SB 6447 did not make it out of the Senate Ways and Means Committee by the February 7 deadline and is considered dead. SHB 2688 was approved by the House Appropriations Committee and the House Rules Committee and awaits action by the full House. It would establish a joint executive task force on funding postretirement medical benefits for LEOFF 1 members and eliminate the cap on the number of years of service that can be included in LEOFF 1 pension calculations.

The bill still includes language to reinstate the 6% LEOFF 1 employer and employee pension contribution rates. AWC opposes reinstatement of the rates and we continue to work to delete this section of the bill.

PERS 1 Unfunded Liability (HB 2683/SB 6451, HB 2909)

These AWC-supported bills, which provide a three-year phase-in of employer contribution rates for the unfunded liability in PERS Plan 1, did not pass out of the fiscal committees by the February 7 deadline. However, these bills remain alive because they are deemed necessary to implement the budget. We believe this issue will be addressed in the supplemental budget, and a phase-in solution is likely. We do not yet know how much the additional contribution rate increases will be, when they will become effective, and how quickly the shortfall (which was caused when the Legislature suspended payments beginning in 2003) will be made up.

Modifying the Family and Medical Leave Act (SHB 2392/SSB 6185)

SSB 6185 passed the Senate on February 8 and SHB 2392 is in the House Rules Committee. The substitute versions of these bills made changes to state law intended to mirror the current federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), which requires that employers with 50 or more employees provide an employee up to 12 weeks of leave upon the birth of a child, to care for a seriously ill family member, or for the employee’s own illness.

Proponents of the bill claim they want this legislation in place in case the federal government takes action to diminish benefits under the FLMA. We do not oppose legislation that provides conformity between federal and state law, but it appears the substitute bills do much more.

Under the proposals, the Department of Labor & Industries would have the authority to investigate complaints and impose civil penalties of at least $1,000 per violation. Employees would also have the right to bring suit against employers for violation of the state law, in addition to violation of the federal FMLA.

We will continue to work with other interested parties and seek refinement of the legislation.

Increasing the Maximum Term of Collective Bargaining Agreements (SB 6411)

SB 6411 passed out of the Senate Labor, Commerce, Research & Development Committee without amendment. It now awaits action by the full Senate. This bill would increase the maximum term for local government collective bargaining agreements to six years instead of the current three years. AWC, the Washington State Association of Counties, and the City and County Employees Association support this bill.

Minimum Paid Sick Leave (HB 2777/SB 6592)

These bills, which would have mandated that all employers provide employees a minimum of 40 hours of paid sick leave for each six months of full-time work, and that workers receive a proportionate amount of paid sick leave for part-time work, were not approved by the respective policy committees and are considered dead for the year.

Prohibiting Local Governments from Laying Off Employees and Hiring Inmate Labor (HB 2357, SB 6220)

These similar bills would have limited the ability of local governments to contract with the State Department of Corrections (DOC) for inmate labor if doing so resulted in the layoff of regular employees. The bills did not make it out of committee and are considered dead for the session.

Those with current contracts with DOC should be aware, however, that the department has notified at least one city that it is canceling their current contract and intends to renegotiate it, adding language that would essentially impose the same limitations that the failed legislation would have.

[ previous article ] [ return to top ] [ next article ]