Must an employer have a policy for requesting and approving leave?
Each employer must develop a leave policy which specifies the procedure for requesting and approving all leave, as provided in the civil service rules. The employer's policy must:
(1) Allow an employee to use vacation leave without advance approval when the employee is requesting to use vacation leave to respond to family care emergencies or for an emergency health condition as provided in WAC
357-31-200 (1)(b);
(2) Allow an employee to use a reasonable amount of accrued leave or unpaid leave when the employee is a victim or has a family member, as defined in chapter
357-01 WAC, who is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking as defined in RCW
49.76.020;
(3) Allow an employee to use accrued leave as a supplemental benefit as provided in WAC
357-31-248;
(4) Address advance notice from the employee when the employee is seeking leave under subsections (2) and (3) of this section. When advance notice cannot be given because of an emergency or unforeseen circumstances due to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, the employee or the employee's designee must give notice to the employer no later than the end of the first day that the employee takes such leave;
(5) Allow an employee to use sick leave for the purpose of parental leave to bond with a newborn, adoptive or foster child. The policy must state the total amount of sick leave allowed to be used beyond 18 weeks in accordance with WAC
357-31-133;
(6) Address overtime eligible employees that are required to provide medical certification or verification to their employer for the use of paid sick leave under chapter
296-128 WAC;
(7) Address overtime eligible employees that are required to provide reasonable notice to their employer for an absence from work for the use of paid sick leave under chapter
296-128 WAC;
(8) Address whether a general government employee may take additional accrued leave beyond 30 days in a two-year period to participate in life-giving procedures in accordance with RCW
41.06.570;
(9) Allow a high-risk employee seeking an accommodation to protect themselves from the risk of exposure to an infectious or contagious disease to use their accrued leave if the employer determines no other accommodation is reasonable besides the use of leave. The employer may require that the employees request be supported by verification or documentation;
(10) Allow a high-risk employee seeking an accommodation to protect themselves from the risk of exposure to an infectious or contagious disease during a public health emergency to use leave without pay if the employer determines no other accommodation is reasonable besides the use of leave in accordance with RCW
49.17.062;
(11) Allow an employee to use unpaid leave when the employee is granted a temporary leave of absence for service in an elective office in accordance with WAC
357-31-374(1);
(12) Allow an employee to use unpaid and/or accrued paid leave when the employee is granted a temporary leave of absence for legislative service in accordance with WAC
357-31-374(2). The policy must state employees who request a leave of absence for legislative service must provide notice to the employer at least 30 days in advance for a regular legislative session or as soon as the session is proclaimed for a special session; and
(13) Address whether former employees who are reemployed after five years of separation from state service may be restored unused sick leave credits in accordance with WAC 357-31-160.
[Statutory Authority: RCW
41.06.133. WSR 23-24-021, § 357-31-100, filed 11/28/23, effective 1/1/24. Statutory Authority: RCW
41.06.133,
41.04.120, and chapter
49.100 RCW. WSR 22-24-027, § 357-31-100, filed 11/30/22, effective 1/1/23. Statutory Authority: Chapter
41.06 RCW. WSR 22-12-076, § 357-31-100, filed 5/27/22, effective 7/1/22; WSR 20-24-019, § 357-31-100, filed 11/20/20, effective 12/28/20. Statutory Authority: Chapter
41.06 RCW and RCW
50A.15.060. WSR 20-06-008, § 357-31-100, filed 2/20/20, effective 5/1/20. Statutory Authority: Chapter
41.06 RCW and RCW
41.06.133. WSR 19-11-135, § 357-31-100, filed 5/22/19, effective 7/1/19. Statutory Authority: Chapter
41.06 RCW. WSR 18-05-032, § 357-31-100, filed 2/10/18, effective 3/13/18; WSR 14-11-035, § 357-31-100, filed 5/14/14, effective 6/16/14; WSR 10-11-071, § 357-31-100, filed 5/14/10, effective 6/15/10; WSR 09-03-013, § 357-31-100, filed 1/9/09, effective 2/13/09; WSR 08-15-043, § 357-31-100, filed 7/11/08, effective 10/1/08; WSR 05-08-136, § 357-31-100, filed 4/6/05, effective 7/1/05.]
