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Lawmakers consider raising minimum sick-leave accrual for state employees
Summary
House Bill 1606 would increase minimum sick-leave accrual for eligible state employees from 8 hours per month to 10 hours per month, a change supporters say would improve recruitment and retention; the committee closed the hearing and requested fiscal clarity.
Representative Matt Heilman introduced House Bill 1606, a bill to raise the minimum monthly sick-leave accrual for eligible state employees from 8 hours to 10 hours.
"This bill would increase the minimum accrual rate of sick leave for eligible state employees from 8 hours per month to 10 hours per month," Representative Matt Heilman said. He noted the change would increase accrual by roughly 24 hours — three working days — in a year and said the bill was brought at the request of a constituent.
Nick Archuleta, president of North Dakota United, testified in favor, saying a modest increase could aid employee health, reduce spread of illness in workplaces and help recruitment and retention. "The minor increase in the minimum sick leave accrual rate is a reasonable worthwhile investment in the long term health and productivity of our state employees," Archuleta said.
Committee members asked for fiscal analysis. Witnesses and members noted a fiscal note exists but that total long-term cost is uncertain because of payout rules: current statute provides a 10% payout of earned sick leave upon separation for employees with 10 or more years of service; agencies’ payroll practices vary. The committee closed the hearing and planned to request additional fiscal detail from human-resources or retirement-system staff before taking action.
