The employer's layoff procedure must:

1. (1) Identify clearly defined layoff unit(s) that minimize disruption of the employer's total operation and provide options to employees scheduled for layoff;

   •	Employers may establish separate and exclusive layoff units for project employment, employee business units, or special employment programs.

2. (2) Provide opportunities to avoid or minimize layoff, such as transfers, voluntary demotion, voluntary reduced work schedule, or voluntary leave without pay;
3. (3) Require the appointing authority to provide written notice of layoff to employees in accordance with WAC 357-46-025;
4. (4) Provide layoff options for permanent employees being laid off as provided in WAC 357-46-035;
5. (5) Address the time frame in which employees must select a layoff option;
6. (6) Define what the employer considers when determining the comparability of a position;

7. (7) Identify the employer's legitimate business requirements if the employer is going to consider those requirements in determining layoff options under WAC 357-46-035;

   •	Legitimate business requirements may include requirements such as circumstances or characteristics that render a position uniquely sensitive to disruption in continuity such as meeting critical deadlines, continuity in patient care, or research progress.

8. (8) Describe how employment retention ratings will be calculated; and
9. (9) Specify how the employer will break ties when more than one employee has the same employment retention rating.
10. (10) Higher education employers address in their layoff procedure whether or not employees have layoff list rights to classes they held permanent status in prior to any breaks in state service.

[Statutory Authority: Chapter 41.06 RCW. WSR 22-12-074, § 357-46-020, filed 5/27/22, effective 7/1/22; WSR 10-11-068, § 357-46-020, filed 5/14/10, effective 6/15/10; WSR 07-11-092, § 357-46-020, filed 5/16/07, effective 7/1/07; WSR 04-18-114, § 357-46-020, filed 9/1/04, effective 7/1/05.]