Drafter
Clerk 01/07/2005
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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 countries impacted by the southern Asia earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004; and declaring an emergency.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings.
A. On December 26, 2004, an earthquake and associated tsunami devastated many countries throughout southern Asia and eastern Africa.
B. The earthquake and associated tsunami resulted in deaths in the hundreds of thousands and left millions homeless and with an immediate need for food, shelter, clean water, and medical assistance.
C. The nations of the world have joined together in one of the largest relief efforts to assist those who have been impacted by the earthquake and tsunami.
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 either accrued vacation time or accumulated compensatory time, or both, to cash to be donated to provide funding for the immediate relief needs of the victims.
F. The American Red Cross, CARE and Northwest Medical Teams International, Inc., are nationally recognized organizations that have provided support for a wide range of relief efforts, including efforts related to the events of September 11, 2001.
G. The American Red Cross International Response Fund, CARE and Northwest Medical Teams International, Inc., are currently providing substantial support to the relief efforts associated with the events of December 26, 2004.
H. The American Red Cross International Response Fund, CARE and Medical Teams Northwest International, Inc., are appropriate agencies 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 countries impacted by the southern Asia earthquake and tsunami on December 26, 2004. 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 southern Asia earthquake and tsunami relief efforts of the American Red Cross International Response Fund, CARE or Northwest Medical Teams International, Inc. 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 International Response Fund, CARE or Northwest Medical Teams International, Inc., for the southern Asia earthquake and tsunami as the employee shall direct; provided that an employee shall select no more than one of the organizations for their donation;
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 International Response Fund, CARE or Northwest Medical Teams International, Inc., as employees have directed for use in the southern Asia earthquake and tsunami relief efforts;
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 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.