(1) Academic employees of community and technical
college districts shall be provided an annual salary
cost-of-living increase in accordance with this section. For
purposes of this section, "academic employee" has the same
meaning as defined in RCW 28B.52.020.
(a) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each
subsequent fiscal year, except as provided in (d) of this
subsection, each college district shall receive a cost-of-living
allocation sufficient to increase academic employee salaries,
including mandatory salary-related benefits, by the rate of the
yearly increase in the cost-of-living index.
(b) A college district shall distribute its cost-of-living
allocation for salaries and salary-related benefits in accordance
with the district's salary schedules, collective bargaining
agreements, and other compensation policies. No later than the
end of the fiscal year, each college district shall certify to
the college board that it has spent funds provided for
cost-of-living increases on salaries and salary-related benefits.
(c) The college board shall include any funded
cost-of-living increase in the salary base used to determine
cost-of-living increases for academic employees in subsequent
years.
(d) Beginning with the 2001-2002 fiscal year, and for each
subsequent fiscal year except for the 2003-04 and 2004-05 fiscal
years, the state shall fully fund the cost-of-living increase set
forth in this section.
(2) For the purposes of this section, "cost-of-living index"
means, for any fiscal year, the previous calendar year's annual
average consumer price index, using the official current base,
compiled by the bureau of labor statistics, United States
department of labor for the state of Washington. If the bureau
of labor statistics develops more than one consumer price index
for areas within the state, the index covering the greatest
number of people, covering areas exclusively within the
boundaries of the state, and including all items shall be used
for the cost-of-living index in this section.
[2003 1st sp.s. c 20 § 3; 2001 c 4 § 3 (Initiative Measure No. 732, approved November 7, 2000).]
NOTES:
Severability -- 2001 c 4 (Initiative Measure No. 732): See note following RCW 28A.400.205.