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<< Previous   of   Next >>   ADVERTISEMENT   CONTACT THE HERALD Robert Frank, City Editor frank@heraldnet.com   Published: Monday, February 25, 2008 Sen. Hobbs' bill calls for 15-day leave for military spouses By Katya Yefimova Herald Writer OLYMPIA -- State Sen. Steve Hobbs is pushing a bill to create family leave for spouses of military personnel on active duty. The bill would require employers to provide military spouses with up to 15 days of unpaid leave of absence -- in addition to any vacation or sick leave -- during the time their spouses in combat are home for a break. "Soldiers need to spend time with their families to recharge their batteries. That way, they are more focused when they go back (to combat)," said Hobbs, D-Lake Stevens. With the current war, protecting Washington's soldiers is especially important, Hobbs said. "These men and women are serving freedom and democracy," he said. "It's only fair to make sure they get to spend time with their families." Military members deployed for active duty for more than 12 months get a two-week break, Hobbs said. Spouses are not always able to get time off during that period. "It's very sad that there are actual employers that would do that. It could be the last time (military spouses) see their loved ones," Hobbs said. The bill, which would also provide employer-retaliation protections, is scheduled for a public hearing the House Committee on Commerce and Labor on Tuesday. "During the period when (soldiers) get a little break, I don't think it's too much to ask that their family members get time off work. I think it's a fundamental issue of fairness," said Sen. Eric Oemig, D-Kirkland, who heard the bill earlier in a Senate committee. While some businesses may potentially have a financial concern if this bill is enacted, Oemig said he isn't "terribly sympathetic" of that. "Sometimes we have to make some sacrifices," he said. Washington, where no one has opposed the legislation so far, wouldn't be the first state to grant military spouses family leave. Similar laws exist in seven other states, including California and New York. After spending time in Ko­so­vo and Iraq, Hobbs, 38, continues to serve in the Army National Guard. He said he knows how important it is for soldiers to be with their families. "You come home, sit down and realize that you have a loving wife or husband and that's what matters," he said.

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