Drafter
Clerk 09/06/2005
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing a process providing a one time opportunity to allow eligible employees to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory time, or both, to cash to benefit the relief efforts in states impacted by Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005; and declaring an emergency.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings.
A. On August 29, 2005, a hurricane and associated storm surge devastated the coastal regions of the states of Alabama, Louisiana and Mississippi.
B. The hurricane and associated storm surge resulted in many deaths and left thousands homeless and without food, shelter, clean water or medical assistance.
C. The American Red Cross has declared this the largest required relief effort ever in these United States.
D. Many King County residents and employees have contributed to the relief efforts through donations to the numerous organizations supporting those efforts.
E. King County has encouraged such contributions to relief efforts and wishes to make it easier for its employees to make such contributions through a program allowing the conversion of accrued vacation and/or accumulated compensatory time to cash to be donated to the relief efforts.
F. The American Red Cross is an internationally recognized organization that has provided support for a wide range of relief efforts, including efforts related to the events of September 11, 2001, and the Southern Asia/Eastern Africa Tsunami of December 26, 2004.
G. The American Red Cross is currently providing substantial support to the relief efforts associated with the events of August 29, 2005.
H. The American Red Cross is an appropriate agency to receive voluntary contributions from King County employee supporting the relief efforts.
SECTION 2. Notwithstanding K.C.C 3.12.190, the executive may implement a process providing a one-time opportunity to allow employees eligible for benefits to convert either accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory time hours, or both, to cash to benefit relief efforts in the states impacted by the hurricane and storm surge on August 29, 2005. This process must conform to the following requirements:
A. The executive shall establish a forty-five-day period during which time employees may sign a written request, subject to approval by the department director, to convert either accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory time hours, or both, to cash and to authorize a payroll deduction of the cash to benefit Hurricane Katrina relief efforts of the American Red Cross. The hours must be in full-hour increments, with a minimum of four hours;
B. All King County employees eligible for benefits shall be eligible to participate in this program on a voluntary basis;
C. The department director shall determine the maximum hours that any employee can convert to cash, but the maximum may not be greater than a total of forty hours by each employee;
D. The value of the hours must be determined based on the regular hourly rate of the employee in effect at the time the approved conversion request is processed;
E. If employees elect to convert either accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory time hours, or both, to cash as set forth in this section, the executive shall contribute such amounts as are converted to the relief efforts of the American Red Cross for the hurricane and storm surge as the employee shall direct;
F. The cash resulting from converted accrued vacation or compensatory time hours, or both, net of all mandatory deductions, including, but not limited to, deductions for retirement plans and federal income tax and the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, must be transmitted to the American Red Cross as employees have directed for use in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts; and
G. Employees governed by a collective bargaining agreement may convert to cash either accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory time hours, or both, only if the existing agreement allows for or the agreement is amended to allow for conversions as authorized in this section.
SECTION 3. The executive may enter into such agreements or modifications to existing collective bargaining agreements as are necessary to implement the purpose of this ordinance.
SECTION 4. The King County Council finds as a fact and declares that an emergency exists and that this ordinance is necessary for the immediate preservation of
public peace, health or safety or for the support of county government and its existing public institutions.