This case was brought in June 2006 on behalf of part-time State of Washington
employees who worked at least half-time on nonstandard work schedules but
were wrongly denied employer-paid health insurance.  In a series of partial summary
judgment rulings, the trial court ruled that the State violated multiple statutes
when it failed to provide those health benefits.  The Legislature later codified the
rulings, i.e., it placed in the Trial court's substantive rulings on the eligibility rules
that were formerly in WAC 182-12-115 into the statute itself, RCW 41.05.065. 

In liability rulings, the trial court ruled that under the eligibility rules prior to 2010
employees who average half-time over six months (80 hours/month or 480 hours
over six months) are eligible for health insurance.  The Legislature then codified the
trial court's ruling.  The statute now states that "[a]n employee who works an average
of at least 80 hours per month over a period of six consecutive months" is eligible for
health insurance.  RCW 41.05.065(4)(a) (2010).  Similarly, the trial court ruled that
employees who "averaged" half-time work on a nine month or longer seasonal or
instructional year basis are eligible for year-round benefits.  The Legislature codified
the trial court's ruling.   RCW 41.05.065(4)(b) (2010)

In October 2010, after the Legislature codified the rulings, plaintiffs filed an amended
complaint re-iterating that the State continued to violate RCW Ch. 41.06 (now with the
codified eligibility rules), along with RCW 49.44.170 (the Public Employee Misclassification
Act).   Plaintiffs again sought damages and an injunction.

In 2011, the trial court granted plaintiffs' motion to compel the State to identify class
members who met the eligibility criteria for health insurance (as ruled on by the trail
court) and their "eligible months," i.e. the months they were eligible for, but were denied
health insurance.  The trial court also ordered that class members receive notices with
an opportunity to opt out.