86-3
Opinion 86-3
Cite as Idaho Op. Att'y Gen. No. 86-3
JIM JONES
ATTORNEY GENERAL
S T A T E O F 1 D A H O
OFFICE OF THE A Y O i i N E Y GENERAL
BOISE 83720
0
Attorney General No. 86-3
TO: The Honora .ble Joe R. Williams
Idaho State Auditor
STATEHOUSE MAIL
Per Request for Attorney General Opinion
OUESTION PRESENTED
Prior to January 1, 1982, S
209 (b) of the Social Security
Act excluded from the definition of wages any payments to
employees under a plan or system which made provision for
employees generally or classes of employees on account of
sick~ess or accident disability.
For the period Jancary 1,
1978, through December 31, 1981:
Did sick pay plans exist for all classified and exempt
employees within the meaning of the Act?
Nere such plans legally anthorized or mandated?
Did the state exercise its anthority to make payments
on account of sickness, and vere payments on accouzt
of sickness made pursuant to such authority?
Should Att~rney General Opinion 80-28 be revised?
. .
~ h ; Honorable Joe R. Williams
Idaho State ~uditor
Page 2
March 18, 1986
CONCLUSIONS
(I) Sick pay plans were established for all classified and
exempt state employees prior to 1978 and have been
continuously in effect since then.
(2) Such plans are constitutionally permitted.
Sick pay
plans were statutorily mandated for classified and
nonclassified employees by 1977.
Chapter 307, 1977
Sess. L.
(3) During the relevant time period, the state exercised
its authority to make payments on account of sickness
for all employees pursuant to ch. 307, 1977 Sess.L.,
and implementation occurred by 1977 in accordance with
the
implementation
provisions
of
that
chapter.
Payments on account of sickness were made pursuant to
the requirements thereof.
(4) Attorney General Opinion 110-28 addressed substantially
these same questions based upon different factual
assumptions.
However, critical factual assumptions
contained in that opinion, upon which its analysis was
based,
have
proven
to
be
clearly
erroneous..
Accordingly, Attorney General Opinion 80-28 is hereby
rescinded.
The questions set forth above are addressed in the context
of S
209(b) of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. S 409(b)].
During the period January 1, 1978, through December 31, 1981,
42 U.S.C. S 409 provided in pertinent part:
For the purposes of this subchapter, -
the
tern "wages" means remuneration paid prior
to 1951 which was wages for the purposes of
this subchapter unc3er the law applicable to
the
payment
of
such
remuneration, and
remuneration paid after 1950 for employment,
including the cesh value of all remuneration
paid in any medium other than cash; except
that, in the case of remuneration paid after
1950, such term shall not include --
.
ø he Honorable Joe R. Williams
Xdaho State Auditor
Page 3
March 18, 1986
C.
(b)
The amount of any payment (including
any amount paid by an employer for insurance
or annuities, or into a fund, to provide for
any such
made to, dr on-behalf of,
an employee or any'of his dependents under a
plan or svstem established by an employer
which makes -provision for his employees
enerally (or for his employees generally
znd
their deoendents) or for a class or
classes of his employees (or for a class or
classes
of
his
emplovees
and
their
-
-
dependents) , on account of (1) retirement,
or ( 2 ) sickness or accide~lt disabilitv. or
- -
,-
L .
(3) medical or hospitalization expenses in
connection
with
sickness
or
accident
disability, or (4) death; [emphasis added] .
Thus, Congress has expressly provided that "wages" shall
not incluze the amount of any payment made to an employee under
a plan or system established by an employer which makes
provision for its employees generally or for a class or classes
of its employees on account of sickness or accident disability,
Such statutes are interpreted .by the courts in a manner
which will give effect to congressional intent. -
See, .e. 9:;
Sierakowski v. Weinberger, 504 F.2d 831 (Sixth Cir. 1974);
Evelyn v. Schweiker, 685 F.2d 351 (Ninth Cir. 1982).
The
pertinent sick pay provisions of
209 of the Social Security
Act [42 U.S.C. S 4091 were adopted by Congress in 1939. Section
209 of the Social Security Act was amended at that time to
provide in pertinent part:
The term "wages" means all remuneration for
employment including the cash value of all
remuneration paid in any mdium other than
cash; except thzt such term shall not
include ---
(3)
The amount of any payment made to, or
on behalf of, an employee under a plan or
system established by an employer which
makes provision for his employees generally
or for a class or classes of his employees
Œ he Honorable Joe R. Williams
.Idaho State Auditor
Paqe 4
(including any amount paid by an employer
for insurance or annuities, or into a fund,
to provide for any such payment), on account
of
(A) retirement, or
(B)
sickness or
accident disabilify , or
(C) medical and
hospitalization expenses in connection with
sickness or accident disability, or
(D)
death, . . .
Thus, the pertinent provisions of that act, as they affect
the questions you have asked, were identical to those found in S
209 of the Act [42 U.S.C. S 4091 prior to January 1, 1982. The
Congressional purpose for the provision was explained at page
20, Sen. Rept. No. 734 Soc.Sec. Act Amend. of 1939:
Exclusion of payments to employer welfare
plans. --
The term "wages" is amended so
as to exclude from tax payments made by an
employer
on
account
of
a
retirement,
annuity,
sickness,
death
or
accident-
disability
plan,
or
for
medical
and
hospitalization expenses in connection with
sickness or accident disability.
Dismissal
wages which the employer is not legally
required
to make,
and
payments
by
an
employer of the worker's Federal insurance
contributions or a contribution required of
the
worker
under
a
state unemployment
compensation law are also excluded from
tax.
This will save employers time and
money but what is more important is that it
will eliminate any reluctance on the part of
the employer to establish such plans due to
the additional tax cost.
Thus, the primary purpose of the sick pay anendment was to:
. . . eliminate any reluctance on the part of
the employer to establish such plans due to
the additional tax cost.
The secondary purpose was to save employers time and
money.
As noted above, to the extent of any ambiguity in the
Act, it shc~ld be interpreted in a manner which is consistent
with the intent of Congress.
The Honorable Joe R. Williams
Idaho State Auditor
Page 5
March 18, 1986
The sick pay provisions of the Act have been interpreted by
duly
adopted
Social
Security
~egulations (20 C.F.R.
5
404.1051A). Those regulations provide:
(a)
Payments maode prior to January 1,
1982.
Sickness and accident disability
payments that are paid by the employer to or
on behalf of the employee or employee's
dependents or into a fund to provide for
payments are excluded from wages if --
Paid prior to January 1, 1982, and
Paid under a plan or system set up by
the employer, or
Paid more than six calendar months
after the month
the employee last
worked.
Such regulations have the force and effect of law provided
they are not arbitrary, capricious, an abuse of discretion, or
otherwise not in accordance with the law (See,
. e. g., Key v.
-- Heckler, 754 F.26 1545 (Ninth Cir. 19851.-
The above-quoted
replation is a restatement of the statutory provisions.
As
such, it is consistent with Congressional intent and has the
force of law.
In addition to the statute and regulations, the Social
Security Administration has set forth its interpretation of the
sick pay exclusion provisions in Social Security Rulings and in
its Handbook for State Social Security Administrators.
Neither
of the foregoing have the force and eFfect of law. Schweiker v.
Hansen, 450 U. S. 785 (1981) ; Lewin v. Schweiker,
----
654 F.2d 631
(Ninth Cir. 1981) ; Pihaley v. Schweiker, 663 F.2d 871 (Hinth Cir.
1981); Evelvn v. Schweiker, 685 F.22 351 (Ninth Cir. 1982);
Powderlv v. Schweiker, 704 F.26 1092 (Ninth Cir. 1983); Luca v.
Heckler, 615 F.Supp. 249 (D.C.Fla. 1985).
However, courts
accord such interpretations some deference where they appear to
be consistent with the terms and purpose of the statutes they
implement. -
See, in addition to the above, Chamberlin v.
ÿ he Honorable Joe R. Williams
.Idaho State Auditor
Page 6
March 18, 1986
f
Schweiker, 518 F.Supp. 1836 (D.C.111. 19f1); Bouchard v. Sec. of
H.H.S., 583 F.Supp. 944 (D.C.Mass. 1984).
Social Security Ruling 79-31 which modifies S.S.R. 72-56,
interprets the sick 1eave.exdlusion provisions, in pertinent
part as follows:
Payments to employees of state and local
governments whose services are covered by a
Federal-State agreement under S 218 of the
Social Security Act (Act) and who are absent
from work due to illness, are excluded from
wages under § 209(b) of the Act as payments
"on account and sickness" if the following
conditions are met:
1.
The payments must be made under a sick
leave plan or system established by the
employer.
2.
The plan must provide for employees
generally, employees generally and their
dependents,. a class or classes of employees,
or a class or classes of employees and their
dependents.
3.
The employer must have legal authority
to make the payments "on account of
sickness" and the enployer must have
exercised this authority.
1 This opinion does not address the question of consistency
of administrative interpretations with the language and purpose
of 42 U.S.C.
409. Nor does it address the question whether
current administrative interpretations would satisfy the
"impracticable" requirement necessary to justify
discrimination aqainst state employees as discussed in
Eew Mexico v. Weinbergerr 517 ~,2&989 (Tenth Cir. 1975) cert.
den., 423 U. S. 1051 (1976). Resolution of such questions is
unnecessary in light of the conclusion herein that Idaho
satisfies the statutory requirements for exclusion, as
administratively interpreted.
b he Honorable Joe R. Williams
-Idaho State Auditor
Page 7
March 18, 1986
I
4 ,
The payments must be made solely "on
account of sickness" and not be merely a
continuation of salary while the employee is
absent due to illness.
0
Following this statement of the administrative criteria
listed above, the Ruling sets forth three examples, the first
two of which involve situations in which sick pay plans exist.
These examples, together with handbook statements regarding the
criteria, will be examined hereinafter as they relate to Idaho's
constitution, laws, and sick pay plan.
The Idaho Constitution places no restriction upon payments
of fringe benefits to employees such as payments on account of
sickness.
It is settled law in Idaho that the constitution is
in no manner a grant of power to the legislature, but is a
limitation placed thereon; if no interdiction of a legislative
act is found in the constitution, then it is valid.
State v.
Dolan, 13 Idaho 693, 92 P. 995 (1907); Idaho Power Co. v.
Blomquist, 26 Idaho 222, 141 P. 1083 (1914); Independent Sch.
Dist. v. Pfost, 51 Idaho 240, 4 P.2d 893 (1931); Electors of Biq
Butte Area v. State Bd. of Educ., 78 Idaho 602, 308 P.2d 225
(1957); Smith v Ce-n.arrusa, 93 Idaho 818, 475 P.2d 11 (1970);
State v. Cantrell, 94 Idaho 653, 496 P.2d 276 (1972).
Since
- there is no restriction upon the state's authority to make
payments to employees on account of sickness, it is clear that
the state has authority to adopt plans to pay employees on
zccount of sickness.
This authcrity was exercised at both the legislative and
administrative levels for both classified and nonclassified
employees.
In 1977, the Idaho Legislature enacted major
revisions to the state's personnel policies. Chapter 307, 1977
Sess. L.
That enactment has rernained unchanged in relevant
detail to the present time.
While sick pay provisions existed
prior to 1977, the statutes in effect at that time represent the
pertinent statutes for the relevant time perioc! of January 1,
1978, to December 31, 1981.
Idaho Code
67-5333 establishes a manclatory sick leave
plan for the state's classified workforce. It defines the rate
and conditions unzer which sick leave shall accrue. It provides
that sick leave shall be taken on a workday basis and provides
that in cases where absences for sick leave exceed three
consecutive work days, the appointing authority may require
'
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
Idaho State Auditor
Page 8
March 18, 1986
c
verification by a physician or other authorizec! practitioner.
The Idaho Personnel Commission has been given authority to
promulgate regulations with respect to sick leave (Idaho Code §§
67-5338 and 67-5333 [7]
) .
0
Idaho Personnel Commission Rule 24-1.4 sets forth the
circumstances under which sick leave may be used:
Sick leave shall only be used in case
of actual sickness or disability or
other
medical
and
health
reasons
necessitating the employee's absence
from work, or in situations where the
employee's
personal
attendance
is
required
or
desirable
because
of
serious illness, disability, or death
in the immediate family.
At the
employee ' s option, vacation leave may
be used in lieu of sick leave.
Therefore, those payments to employees for "actual sickness
or disability or other medical and health reasons necessitating
the employee's absence from work" would be excluded from bein9
considered wages under the terms of section 209(b) of the Social
- - Security Act.
Those situations where the state permits the use
of sick leave where the employee is not actually ill or where
vacation leave may be used in lieu of sick leave would not be
excluded from consideration as wages under the terms of §
209 (b) of the Social Security Act.
In 1977, the legislature also mandated a sick leave plan
for nonclassified employees with the adoption of Ch. 16, Title
59, Idaho Code, which has remained the same in pertinent detail
to the present. The chapter a2dressed various personnel matters
including
salary
comparability with
classified
employees,
credited state service, sick leave, vacation leave, hours of
work, and the use of compensatory time and overtine.
Idaho Cote S
59-1604 provides credited state service for
nonclassifie2 employees for purposes of payroll, vacation leave,
and sick leave.
Subsection (3) of the section provides ixi
pertinent part:
Members of the legislature, the iieutenant
governor, and members of part time bcards,
` he Honorable Joe R. Williams
Idaho State Auditor
Page 9
March 18, 1986
f -
commissions, and committees, shall not be
eligible for annual leave or sick leave.
Idaho Code S
59-1605 mandates a sick leave plan for
nonclassified employees. subsection (1) of Idaho Code 5 59-1605
provides :
Eligible
nonclassified
officers
and
employees shall accrue sick leave at the
same rate and un6er the same conditions as
is provided in S
67-5333, Idaho Code, for
classified
officers
and
employees.
[Emphasis added]
The section is mandatory.
It defines the sick leave right
by defining both the rate and conditions under which sick leave
shall accrue. Subsection (2) then provides:
Sick leave shall be taken by nonclassified
officers and employees in as nearly the same
manner as possible as is provided in S
67-
5333, Idaho Code, for classified officers
and employees. [Emphasis added]
This section is likewise ma~datory. However, it provides
that sick leave shall be taken "in as nearly the same manner as
possible" as provided in Idzho Code § 67-5333. The phrase "sane
man~er" is ordinarily construed to relate to procedural rather
than substantive matters. -
See, generally, cases collected at 38
Words and Phrases 327-331. This result is clear in the context
of this statute.
It would be unreasonable to construe
subsection (1) as mandating the rate and conditions which define
the substantive sick leave right, and then construe subsection
(2) as permitting an exempt agency to eliminate or defeat that
right by a discretionary redefinition of the substantive right.
Rather,
subsections
(1) and
(2) grant
nonclzssif ied
officers and employees the same substantive rights as those
provided to classifie6 employees by Idaho Code § 67-5333. The
Language, "in as nearly the same manner as possible," is merely
legislative recognition of the fact that different procedural
requirements may be necessary for different classes of exempt
employees.
For example, record keeping forms designed for the
classified work force may not be azequate when applied to exempt
classes of employees such as employees of the Idaho BIilitary
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
,Idaho State Auditor
Page 10
March 18, 1986
L
Department under federal control, employees of the legislative
department, or the governor's office.
Thus, while some procedural differences are allowable,
Idaho Code 5 59-1605(1) and (2) provide the same substantive
sick leave rights to nonclassified employees as those provided
for classified employees.
Such substantive rights include those
found in Idaho Code § 67-5333 defining the rate and conditions
under which sick leave rights shall accrue, and providing the
right to take sick leave on workdays, with the proviso that the
employer may require verification by a physician or other
authorized practitioner.
Separate provisions were statutorily
provided for two classes of employees. Idaho Code § 59-1605(3)
requires the Idaho Supreme Court to determine the sick leave
policy for employees of the judicial department.
Idaho Code 5
59-1605(4) requires the State Bcard of Education to determine
sick leave policies for the nonclassified employees of the board.
The State Board of Education and the Idaho Supreme Court
adopted sick leave policies as required.
The State Board of
Education policy was in effect during the entire relevant time
period.
The relevant provisions of the Board' s policy regardiqg
- - accrual rights and taking sick leave were as follows:
Sick leave for all faculty and professional
employees who are employed on a nine-month
or more basis and all classified employees
shall accrue at the rate of one (1) day for
each full month of service.
Sick leave
shall accrue without limitation. Sick leave
shall be charged for zbsences due to illness
only on working days.
The Idaho Supreme Court's policy which was eir'f~cti-~e
for
the relevant period provided in pertinent part:
Sick leave will accrue at the rate of one
day for each month of service and begins
accruing
in
the
first
month
worked.
Accumulated sick leave shall be limited to
120 working days of leave, and all sick
ÿ he Honorable Joe R. Williams
-Idaho State Auditor
Page 11
March 18, 1986
leave shall be forfeited at the time of
termination.
No
employee
shall
be
reimbursed for earned but unused sick leave.
Sick leave is" to be used only in cases
of actual sickness or disability. With the
approval of the Administrative Director of
the Courts, sick leave may be used where the
individual's personal attendance is required
or desirable because of serious illness,
disability or death in his/her immediate
family, or may be taken in advance of
earning that leave in a later month.
Finally, Idaho Code S
59-1605 (5) required the State Board
of Examiners to adopt comparative charts to compute equivalent
sick leave for persons paid on a daily, weekly, bi-weekly,
calendar month, or annual period.
(This requirement is the
counterpart of Idaho Code
67-5332(3) which requires the
Personnel Commission to adopt comparative charts to compute
credited state service for sick leave, annual leave, and other
purposes on daily, - weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, and annu21
periods.)
The Board of Examiners aciopted the comparative charts
in 1977 as required.
Thus, all requirements for administrative implementation of
the mandatory sick leave plans of Idaho Code S S 59-1605 and 67-
5333 for statutorily eligible nonclassified and classified
employees were completed by 1977.
From the foregoing discussion, it is apparent that Idaho
complied with the actual terms of 42 U.S .C. 5 409 which excludes
from the definiticn of wages:
. . . any payment . . . mzde to an e~.ployee . . .
un2er a plan or systen established by an
employer which makes provision for . . . a
class or classes of his employees . . . on
account
of . . .
sickness
or
accident
disability.
It is also clear that the state has legal authority to make
payments on account of sickness, that the state exercised this
authority in accordance with state law by statutorily an2
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
.Idaho State Auditor
Page 12
March 18, 1986
i '
administratively establishing and implementing a mandatory sick
leave plan for classified and nonclassified eligible employees,
and that payments were made on account of sickness pursuant to
the sick .leave statutes providing benefits in addition to
separately defined salary "benefits rather than pursuant to
salary statutes .which provide merely for continuation of salary
during illnesses.
As discussed previously, the provisions of 42 U.S.C.
S
409 (b) have been administratively interpreted by the Social
Security Administration in Social Security Rulings and in its
Handbook for State Social Security Administrators. S.S.R. 79-31
provides that payments on account of sickness are excluded frcm
the definition of wages if the following conditions are met:
1.
The payments must be made under a sick
leave plan or system established by the
employer.
2.
The plan must provide for employees
generally, employees generally and their
dependents, a class cr classes of employees,
or a class-or classes of employees and their
dependents.
3.
The employer must have legal authority
to
xake
the
payments
" on
account
of
sickness"
and
the
employer
must
have
exercised this authority.
4 .
The payments must be made solely "on
account of -sicknessu and not be merely
continuation of salary while the enployee
absent due to illness.
The Ruling then sets forth three illustrative
first two involve sick pay plans in which payments
exclusion from "wages" under the Act.
cases. The
quaiifv
- for
In the first case, a hospital district established 2 plaz
under which employees received one day of sick leave for each
month of service.
Sick leave could be used only for the
employee's illness or disability, and the hospital could require
a doctor's statement justifying use of sick leave. The hospital
maintained records which showed sick leave used and expenses in
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
. Idaho State Auditor
Page 13
March 18, 1986
connection with such use.
State law did not restrict the
hospital district's authority to pay employees on account of
sickness.
In the second case, a 'city established a sick leave plan
under which employees received four hours of sick leave each two-
week pay period.
The city passed an ordinance providing that
sick leave was intended to be payment "on account of sickness"
and not as a continuation of salary. Sick leave absences beyond
five working days required a doctor's statement explaining the
reason for absence.
The state attorney general issued an
opinion which concluded that while the state did not have legal
authority to pay state employees on account of sickness from its
regular salary account from funds appropriated for salary
purposes, there was no such restriction applicable to political
subdivisions.
In the case of the hospital district, the ruling found:
Accordingly,
payments
made
under
the
hospital district's sick leave plan are
excludec! from wages under 5 209 (b) of the
Act.
The - hospital district has the legal
authority to pay "on account of sickness,"
and the creation of s. sick leave plan with
separate accounting for sick leave use and
expenditures is evidence that this authority
has been exercised.
In the case of the city, the ruling found:
Accordiiigly , the payments to the enployees
of City A absent on sick leave are excluded
from wages under 5 209 (b) of the Social
Security Act as payments "on account of
sickness."
The opinion of the attorney
general of State B plus the local ordinance
adcpted by the governinq bcdy of City A
establish that the city has the legal
authority to pay "on account of sickness,"
ar,d the ordinance and creation of the sick
leave plan are evidence that this authority
has been exercised.
-
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
,Idaho State Auditor
Page 14
March 18, 1986
(--
The ruling makes it clear that evidence of compliance with
the administrative criteria established can be shown in various
ways.
For example, although the hospital district had not
adopted a resolution or ordinance such as the city's, it
separately accounted for sick leave use and expenses evidencing
it had exercised its authority to make sick leave payments. The
city, on the other hand, did not separately account for personal
sick leave expenses, but was permitted by state law to pay sick
leave from
its salary account and adopted an ordinance
distinguishing payments on account of sickness from regular
salary provisions.
Like the city and hospital district, Idaho has adopted a
sick leave plan which defines accrual of sick leave rights.
Employees receive the equivalent of one day of sick leave for
each month of service (96 hours per 2080 hours of credited state
service).
Like the city and hospital district, Idaho employees
have the right to use sick leave on work days on account of
sickness.
(As discussed previously, only those payments due to
the employee's sickness or accident disability are excluded.
Situations in which the state permits sick leave to be used for
other purposes, such as serious illness in the family, are not
excluded. )
Like the city and hospital district, Idaho may
require verification of illness by
a physician or other
authorized practitioner.
Like the city and hospital district,
Idaho is legally authorized to pay enployees on account of
sickness.
The city by ordinance and the state by statute mandated
that payments be made to employees absent from work on accoulnt
of sickness to the extent of their sick leave accrual. rights.
Like the city, these payments are paynents statutorily separate
and distinct from salary rights set out sepzrately in Idiaho's
statutes.
In the case of the city, state lavi permittez the city to
pay sick leave from its salary account.
Idaho appropriates
funds for various proqrans utilizing standard classifications of
personnel ccsts, operating expenditures, and capital ou.tlay.
Personnel costs inclu?~ (1 number of things, including, salary,
sick leave, annual leave, overtime, compensatory time, and t.he
employer's share of contributions relating to employees such as
retirement, health and life insurance, worknen's compensation,
employment security, and social security.
Thus, Idaho! s
budgeting
process
permits
payment
of
sick
leave
from
. .
Ì he Honorable Joe R. Williams
-Idaho State Auditor
Page 15
March 18, 1986
i
appropriations for personnel costs more clearly than was the
case in the city example of the social security ruling. Idaho,
like the city, meets the terms of the sick pay exclusion as
interpreted by the ruling.
Q
The hospital district, by contrast, provided evidence that
it exercised its authority to pay on account of sickness by
accounting for sick leave use and expenses as distinguished from
regular salary and vacation leave.
Likewise, Idaho maintained
. records separately accounting for sick leave accruals and
utilization during the relevant period.
The State Auditor's
Office undertook a program to review the relevant records of the
various agencies. Sick leave use and expenses were identified.
Payments made for other than personal sick leave were excluded
as well as leave which could not be distinguished from other
types of leave such as family sickness.
The Auditor, like the
hospital district thereby separately identified and accounted
for sick leave utilization and expenditures qualifying for
exclusion.
Thus, evidence that Idaho exercised its authorit17 to make
payments
found to
qualifies
The
discusses
Security
on account of sickness is provided by both nethods
be
sufficient evidence in S.S.R. 79-28.
Idaho
for the exclusion as it is interpreted by the ruling. .
Handbook for Social Security Administrators, also
the administrative criteria set forth in Social
Ruling 79-31.
The guidelines. generally follow the
provisions of S.S.R. 79-31.
However, in addition to the ty~es
of evidence found sufficient in S.S.R. 79-31 to establish that
payments were made pursuant to authority to pay OE account of
sickness, the handbook provides that such evidence might titke
the following forms:
2.
A
separate appropriation or budgeting
solely
for payme~ts on account of
sickness; or
3.
A separate sick-pay acccunt. The sick-
pay account may be used either to make
payments direct to the employee or to
reimburse the regular salary account
for pzyments on account of sickness
made from it.
-
L.
-
he Honorable Joe R. Williams
-Idaho State Auditor
Page 16
March 18, 1986
In conclusion, the state of Idaho met the sick pay
exclusion requirements of 42 U.S.C.
5 409 and 20 C.F.R.
404.1051A for the period January 1, 1978, through December 31,
1981.
The state likewise met the terms of the Act and
regulations as administratively interpreted.
On December 12, 1980, Attorney General Opinion No. 80-25
was issued.
That opinion a2dressed substantially the same
questions as those addressed in this opinion. Since that time,
the State Auditor's Office conducted an extensive review of the
state sick-pay policies and implementation thereof for the
perio2 January 1, 1978, through December 31, 1981.
Ir! the
process,
it
was
learned
that
various
critical
factual
assumptions which formed the basis of Opinion 80-28 were in
error.
The Auditor learned, for example, that the administrative
implementation provisions of Idaho Code § 59-1605 had, in fact,
occurred.
The opinion also erroneously asswed
that only the
State Auditor's bi-weekly payroll reccrds after 1980 provided
identification of sick leave use and expenses. This also proved
to be untrue.
Attorney General Opinion No. 80-28 is he~eby rescinde: and
- - is replaced by this opinion.
AUTHO2ITLES CONSIDERED:
Attorney General Opinion No. 80-28
Ch. 16, Title 59, Idaho Code
Ch. 307, 1977 Sess. L.
42 U.S.C. § 409
Handbook for State Sccial Security Adninistrators.
Ldzho Code § 59-1604
Idaho Code S 59-1605
Idaho Code S 67-5332
Idaho Code 5 67-5333
T G ~
Honorable Joe R. Williams
-Idaho State Auditor
Page 17
March 18, 1986
( .
Idaho Code § 67-5338
Idaho Personnel Commission Rule 24-1.4
Social Security Act § 269 (b)
Social Security Act § 218
Social Security Ruling 79-31
Page 20, Sen. Rept. No. 734 Soc.Sec. Act Amend. of 1939
38 Words and Phrases 327-331
20 C.F.R. 5 404.1051A
B~uchard v. Sec. of H.H.S., 583 F.Supp. 944 (D.C.Mass.
1984).
Chamberlin v. Schweiker, 5i8 F.supp. 1836 (D.C.111. 1981)
Electors of Big Butte Area v. State Bd, of Educ., 78 i l a h o
602, 308 P.2d 225 (1957)
Evelyn v. Schweiker, 685 F.26 351 (Ninth Cir. i982)
Idilho Power Co. v. i3lomc;uist, 26 Idahc! 222, 141 P. lrJe3
(1914)
Independent Sch. Dist. v. Pfost, 51 Idaho 240, 4 P.26 893
(1931)
Key v. Heckler, 554 F.2d 1545 (Ninth Cir. 1985)
Lewin v. Schweiker, 654 F.2d 631 (Ninth Cir. 1981)
Luca v. Heckler, 615 F.Supc. 249 (D.C.Fla. 1985)
New Mexico V . Weinberqer, 517 F.22 989 (Tsnth Cir. 3'2751
cert. den., 423 U. S. 1051 (1976)
Powderly v. Schweiker, 704 F.2d 1092 (Ninth Cir. 1983)
Schweiker v. Bansen, 450 5 . S. 785 (1981)
h
he Honorable J o e R . W i l l i a m s
? I d a h o S t a t e A u d i t o r
Page 18
March 1 8 , 1986
Sierakowski v. l i e i n b e r g e r , 504 F.2d 831 ( S i x t h C i r . 1974)
Smith v C e n a r r u s a , 93 Idaho 818, 475 P.2d 11 (1970)
S t a t e v. C a n t r e l l , 94 1daho 653, 496 P.2d 276 (1972)
S t a t e v. Dolan, 13 Idaho 693, 92 P. 995 (1907)
Whaley v. Schweiker, 663 F.2d 871 (Ninth C i r . 1981j
DATED t h i s 1 8 t h day o f March, 1986.
ATTORNEY GEWERAL
cc:
Idaho Supreme Court
Sugreme c o u r t L i b r a r y
Idaho S t a t e L i b r a r y