Drafter
Clerk 11/13/2013
Title
AN ORDINANCE relating to the employee giving program; amending Ordinance 15558, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 3.12.222 and declaring an emergency.
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. On November 8, 2013, a typhoon, called Haiyan, and associated storm surge devastated the island nation of the Philippines.
B. The typhoon was the strongest typhoon ever recorded.
C. The typhoon and associated storm surge resulted in an estimated two thousand five hundred deaths and has displaced eight hundred thousand from their homes. Millions are without food, clean water, sanitation, shelter or medical assistance.
D. Many King County residents and employees have contributed to the relief efforts through donations to the numerous organizations supporting these efforts.
E. King County has encouraged contributions to disaster relief efforts through its employee giving program and has the opportunity to facilitate contributions for Haiyan typhoon relief efforts during the 2013 annual giving drive.
F. Currently, during the annual campaign period employees are limited to donating accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours to a single nonprofit organization, therefore not allowing them to support both a natural disaster relief effort and a nonprofit of choice in the employee giving program.
G. K.C.C. 3.12.222 provides a separate process for donating accrued vacation or accumulated compensatory hours for natural disaster relief efforts; however, this process is not available during the annual campaign period. The 2013 campaign period is underway, but there are only two weeks remaining. To expedite donations to the organizations providing relief to victims of Typhoon Haiyan, this ordinance must be enacted as an emergency ordinance.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 15558, Section 2, as amended, and K.C.C. 3.12.222 are each hereby amended 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)) 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 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)) up to three nonprofit organizations 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 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 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 authorization 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)) 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 ((on Monday of the first full week)) 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.
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.
SECTION 2. 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.