State employees can take vacation days within first 6 months

OLYMPIA – Washington Gov. Jay Inslee has approved a law allowing new state employees to take vacation time within their first six months on the job.

The Olympian reported Thursday that the law snaps an old rule that stopped new workers from taking vacation time.

The bill’s sponsor, State Rep. Laurie Dolan, says the measure is “one more way to try to have people want to stay employed by the state of Washington.”

The bill is a part of the collective bargaining agreements reached between Inslee and state employee unions last fall.

The agreements, which still need legislative approval, would give most workers cost-of-living raises of about 6 percent and would cost the state $500 million during the same period.