Drafter
Clerk 06/22/2006
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AN ORDINANCE authorizing a process that provides the opportunity for eligible employees to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, to cash to benefit nonprofit organizations participating in the King County employee charitable campaign; and adding a new section to K.C.C. chapter 3.12.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. King County currently administers the King County employee charitable campaign, which benefits hundreds of nonprofit organizations.
B. King County encourages financial contributions to nonprofit organizations and the county desires to make it easier for its employees to regularly make such contributions through a program allowing for the conversion of an employee's accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, to cash.
NEW SECTION. SECTION 2. There is hereby added to K.C.C. chapter 3.12 a new section to read as follows:
The executive may implement a process providing the opportunity for benefit-eligible employees to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into a cash donation. This process must conform to the following:
A. Annually, from the first business day in October through the last business day in November, an employee may sign a written authorization subject to approval by the employee's department director, or the employee's department director's designee, to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit one nonprofit organization participating in the King County employee charitable campaign in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 3.36, of the employee's choice.
B. Notwithstanding K.C.C. 3.12.190, an employee may convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit natural disaster relief efforts. Upon the occurrence of a natural disaster and with the exception of the employee charitable campaign-related period designated under subsection A. of this section the executive may authorize a forty-five-day opportunity for benefit-eligible employees to sign a written authorization to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit one nonprofit organization designated by the executive. The employee's written authorization is subject to approval by the employee's department director or the employee's department director's designee. The designated nonprofit organization must be a King County employee charitable campaign participant in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 3.36.
C. The hours converted under subsection A. or B. of this section must be in full-hour increments. The employee's donation must be a minimum of four hours and no more than forty hours per calendar year with the exception of the conditions described in subsection D. of this section.
D. An employee who earned excess vacation leave or compensatory hours, or both, beyond the amount that may be carried over into the next fiscal year may donate greater than forty hours under subsection A. or B. of this section with approval from the employee's department director, or the employee's department director's designee.
E. All King County benefit-eligible employees may donate in accordance with this section voluntarily.
F. The finance and business operations division shall value the hours donated under this section based on the regular hourly rate of the employee in effect at the time the approved conversion ltrchauthorization is processed. The finance and business operations division shall process leave donations authorized under subsection A. of this section on Monday of the first full week in December. The finance and business operations division shall process leave donations authorized under subsection B. of this section on Monday of the first full week after the forty-five-day period designated in accordance with subsection B. of this section.
G. The net cash value of the accrued vacation or compensatory hours, or both, after all mandatory withholdings, including, but not limited to, withholding in accordance with retirement plans, federal income tax and the Federal Insurance Contributions Act, have been deducted must be distributed by the finance and business operations division to the designated nonprofit organization or organizations.
H. Employees governed by a collective bargaining agreement may convert to cash accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, if the existing agreement allows for, or the agreement is amended to allow for, conversions as authorized in this section. The executive may enter into such agreements or modifications to existing collective bargaining agreements as are necessary to implement this section.