HB 1349
In CommitteeHouse
Pension credit for leave
Concerning the purchase of pension service credit for authorized leaves of absence.
This status may be delayed. See Action History below for the latest updates.
How does a bill become law?
- Introduced: The bill is filed and assigned a number.
- Committee: A subject-matter committee holds hearings, takes public testimony, and decides whether to advance the bill.
- Floor Vote: The full chamber (House or Senate) debates and votes on the bill.
- Opposite Chamber: The bill repeats the committee and floor vote process in the other chamber.
- Governor: The Governor reviews the bill and decides whether to sign or veto it.
- Signed: The bill has been signed into law.
AI Analysis
This bill expands the ability of public safety and other state and local government employees in the LEOFF Plan 2 retirement system to buy back service credit for time spent on authorized leaves—including military service, labor union leadership roles, and unpaid leave—thereby increasing their retirement benefits. It also clarifies rules for survivors and workers on workers’ compensation.
- Allows members on paid authorized leaves to continue earning service credit as if they were working.
- Permits members on leave to serve as elected labor union officials (if their collective bargaining agreement allows) to be treated as on paid leave, with salary capped at the highest-paid job class in their bargaining unit.
- Increases the maximum unpaid leave service credit from 1 year to 2 years over a member’s entire career, and extends the deadline to purchase that credit to 5 years after returning to work or before retirement.
- Expands service credit for military service to up to 5 years, with special rules for members who die or become totally disabled while serving, or who served during a period of war.
- Allows survivors of deceased members who died while serving in the military or disaster response to claim service credit on their behalf.
- Clarifies that workers receiving workers’ compensation benefits (Title 51 RCW) but not retirement benefits are considered on authorized unpaid leave, making them eligible to buy back service credit.
Who is affected
- LEOFF Plan 2 members — Public safety employees (e.g., police, fire, corrections) in the Law Enforcement Officers' and Firefighters' (LEOFF) Plan 2 retirement system who take authorized leaves of absence—paid or unpaid—and want to buy back service time to increase their retirement benefit.
- Public employees who serve in labor union leadership roles — Employees who serve as elected officials in labor unions while on authorized leave from their public employer, and whose collective bargaining agreement allows them to retain seniority and be reimbursed by the union.
- Veterans and emergency responders with military or federal service — Members of the uniformed services (e.g., National Guard, Reserves) or federal emergency response teams who serve in the military or disaster response and return to public employment in Washington.
- Survivors of deceased public employees with military or federal service — Survivors (spouses, domestic partners, children) of deceased members who served in the military or disaster response and died while on active service, who may claim service credit on behalf of the deceased.
- Workers' compensation recipients in public employment — Employees receiving workers' compensation benefits (under Title 51 RCW) who are not receiving retirement benefits and are considered to be on authorized leave, allowing them to potentially buy back service credit.
Pro/Con Analysis
Stronger case for benefits
Potential Benefits (5)
The bill allows survivors of deceased members who died in military or disaster response to claim service credit on their behalf, ensuring that the deceased’s public service is recognized in survivor benefits—this strengthens fairness and honors public service sacrifice, especially for families who lost a breadwinner in line of duty.
Rights & LibertiesPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7)(d), (f)By expanding military service credit to 5 years and waiving contribution requirements for wartime service, the bill better aligns federal military service with retirement benefits—encouraging National Guard and Reserve service among public safety employees and reducing disincentives to serve.
Public SafetyPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7)(a)(iv), (d)(iv), (e)(iv)Clarifying that workers’ compensation recipients on leave are deemed on authorized unpaid leave allows them to buy back service credit—this prevents a gap in benefit accrual during injury recovery and supports long-term financial security for injured workers.
HealthcarePeopleRef: Sec. 1(8)Raising the unpaid leave service credit cap from 1 to 2 years gives more flexibility for extended personal or family leave (e.g., medical, caregiving), helping public employees maintain retirement accrual during life events that would otherwise penalize their pension.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3)The provision allowing union leaders on leave to be treated as on paid leave (if CBA permits) supports labor voice in public employment and helps retain experienced union representatives—though primarily benefiting unionized workers, it strengthens democratic participation in the workplace.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(2)
Potential Concerns (4)
The bill increases state and employer contributions to LEOFF Plan 2 as members buy back service credit for up to 2 years of unpaid leave and up to 5 years of military service; while the fiscal impact is described as “modest,” the long-term liability is actuarially significant and will grow as more members opt in—costs that may eventually be passed to local governments or result in reduced services or higher taxes elsewhere.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(3), (5), (7)The requirement to pay employer, member, and state contributions plus interest to buy back service credit creates a financial barrier: many lower- and middle-income public employees may not have the upfront cash to purchase credit within the 5-year window, limiting the benefit to those with savings or access to loans—effectively favoring more financially stable employees.
FinancialLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(3), (5)The provision allowing union leaders on leave to be treated as on paid leave (with salary capped at the highest-paid job class) may create administrative complexity for employers and unions, and could incentivize strategic leave-taking by union officials—though not necessarily harmful, it introduces a new layer of cost and compliance burden for public employers.
Business & EmploymentLean peopleRef: Sec. 1(2)The provision allowing members who served during a period of war to receive up to 5 years of *free* service credit (if they meet the proof requirement) creates a windfall for a subset of veterans—but only if they survive long enough to retire and meet the documentation burden, which may exclude those with service-related disabilities or limited access to military records.
FinancialPeopleRef: Sec. 1(7)(a)(iii), (d)(iv), (e)(iv)
Who Is Most Affected
LEOFF Plan 2 members—especially those who take extended unpaid leave (e.g., for caregiving, medical, or union service)—will benefit most if they can afford to buy back service credit; however, lower-income members may be priced out due to contribution + interest requirements.
Union leaders who serve elected roles while on leave gain stronger retirement benefits if their CBA allows it—but this only helps those whose unions reimburse employers and whose bargaining units include high-paying job classes.
Veterans and National Guard members benefit significantly from expanded military service credit, especially wartime service members who may receive credit at no cost; however, those disabled or discharged outside the 90-day window may face hurdles.
Survivors gain a new path to claim service credit for deceased members who died in military or disaster response—this directly improves survivor benefit equity and recognition of service sacrifice.
Workers’ comp recipients gain the ability to buy back service credit during injury recovery, improving retirement security—but only if they can afford the contributions, which may be difficult for those on reduced income.