Senate version of shared-leave cap bill heard in emotional testimony

The Federation-initiated bill to raise the cap on how much shared leave longtime seriously ill employees can leave came before the Senate Government Operations and Elections Committee Monday.

SB 6695 would help longtime employees facing the need for more than the current limit of 261 total shared leave days. Under HB 3063, employees with between 10 and 20 years of service could receive 522 days of shared leave. Those with more than 20 years of service, 788 shared leave days.

"This is a bill that would cost extremely little and do so much for the affected state employees," Federation Lobbyist Alia Griffing told the panel.

The Department of Personnel estimated the bill would cost only $2,500.

"We're talking about dedicated state employees with a long history of service, long institutional memories, and expertise that they've developed over time," Griffing said.

Ecology manager Gordon White said the bill makes good business sense because it keeps employees off disability and on the job working for taxpayers.

"It's really a compassionate program where other employees can help their colleagues out," White said.

But it was Ecology employee Andy McMillan whose quiet dignity carried the hearing.

He apologized for wearing a facemask. Doctors ordered him to wear the mask because of the bone marrow cancer he has battled for five years.

"It's considered an incurable and fatal disease," McMillan said. "Fortunately, there are treatments that are available to keep one alive for several years.

"Since I was diagnosed, I've continued to work as much as I can, but I've had to cut back on my hours as my disease has progressed and the treatments have gotten more challenging."

McMillan, who's worked at Ecology for 24 years, had to interrupt his testimony to apologize as he was gripped by back pain, one of the side effects of his disease.

"Passage of this bill is just one small step that the state can take to help your employees at a time when sacrifice is being asked of us," McMillan said. "I believe it serves the interests of the state as well as being the compassionate thing to do."

The House version of the bill, HB 3063, was quickly heard and passed of committee Jan. 29.