Drafter
Clerk 08/25/2021
Title
An ORDINANCE related to the employee giving program; and amending Ordinance 15558, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 3.12.222.
Body
STATEMENT OF FACTS
A. On February 29, 2020, the governor declared a state of emergency in response to cases of COVID-19 in Washington state.
B. On March 1, 2020, the county executive signed a proclamation of emergency in King County to ensure the immediate preservation of public health and to relieve the loss, hardship and suffering of county residents.
C. As of May 25, 2021, more than 33 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, resulting in at least 590,000 deaths in the United States.
D. As of May 25, 2021, more than 167 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed, resulting in at least 3.4 million deaths globally.
E. The global pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus continues to disproportionately impact certain communities, regions and countries throughout the world. For example, India is currently the global epicenter of the pandemic and global relief efforts are now focused there.
F. Although many King County residents and employees have contributed to COVID-19 relief efforts through personal donations, many are seeking alternative methods for contributing to ongoing international relief efforts.
G. K.C.C. 3.12.222 provides a process for county employees to donate accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours for natural disaster relief efforts, however, this process does not explicitly cover donations for the purpose of supporting epidemic relief efforts, including those on a pandemic scale.
H. King County has consistently encouraged contributions to natural disaster relief efforts through its existing employee giving program and should facilitate employee contributions to COVID-19 relief efforts specifically and future epidemic relief efforts in general.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Ordinance 15558, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 3.12.222 are hereby amended to read as follows:
A. Annually, from the first business day in October through the last business day in November, an employee eligible for comprehensive leave benefits may sign a written authorization subject to approval by the employee's department director to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit up to three nonprofit organizations participating in the King County employee annual drive in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 3.36, of the employee's choice.
B. Notwithstanding K.C.C. 3.12.190, an employee eligible for comprehensive leave benefits may convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit ((natural)) emergency or disaster relief efforts. Upon the occurrence of ((a natural)) an emergency or disaster, such as fire, flood, explosion, storm, earthquake or epidemic, that results in the loss of either life or property, or both, and with the exception of the employee annual drive-related period designated under subsection A. of this section, the executive may authorize a forty-five-day opportunity for employees eligible for comprehensive leave benefits to sign a written authorization to convert accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours, or both, into cash to benefit up to three nonprofit organizations designated by the executive. The employee's written authorization is subject to approval by the employee's department director. The designated nonprofit organization must be a King County employee annual drive participant in accordance with K.C.C. chapter 3.36. This section shall be administered 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 eligible for comprehensive leave benefits 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.
E. All King County ((benefit-eligible)) employees eligible for comprehensive leave benefits 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 authorization is processed. The finance and business operations division shall process leave donations authorized under subsection A. of this section within the first two full weeks in December. The finance and business operations division shall process leave donations authorized under subsection B. of this section within the first two full weeks 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.