Any public employee who represents fifty percent or more of a bargaining unit or who represents on a statewide basis a group of five or more bargaining units shall have the right to absent himself or herself from his or her employment without pay and without suffering any discrimination in his or her future employment and without losing benefits incident to his or her employment while representing his or her bargaining unit at the legislature of the state of Washington during any regular or special session thereof: PROVIDED, That such employee is replaced by his or her bargaining unit with an employee who shall be paid by the employer and who shall be qualified to perform the duties and obligations of the absent member in accordance with the rules of the civil service or other standards established by his or her employer for such absent employee.

Terms Used In Washington Code 41.56.220

  • Public employee: means any employee of a public employer except any person (a) elected by popular vote, or (b) appointed to office pursuant to statute, ordinance or resolution for a specified term of office as a member of a multimember board, commission, or committee, whether appointed by the executive head or body of the public employer, or (c) whose duties as deputy, administrative assistant or secretary necessarily imply a confidential relationship to (i) the executive head or body of the applicable bargaining unit, or (ii) any person elected by popular vote, or (iii) any person appointed to office pursuant to statute, ordinance or resolution for a specified term of office as a member of a multimember board, commission, or committee, whether appointed by the executive head or body of the public employer, or (d) who is a court commissioner or a court magistrate of superior court, district court, or a department of a district court organized under chapter 3. See Washington Code 41.56.030
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