Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993 allows eligible employees to take off up to twelve (12) work weeks in any twelve (12) month period for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member, or if the employee themselves has a serious health condition. To be eligible, an employee must have worked for the state of Washington for at least 12 months, and for at least 1,250 hours during the previous 12 month period. The employee also has the right to return to the same or equivalent position, pay, and benefits at the conclusion of their leave. The eligible employee must provide thirty (30) day advance notice for foreseeable events. The college has the right to ask the employee to obtain a certification from a medical provider testifying to the need for the employee to take the leave for themselves or for a family member. The college will measure (from beginning point to ending point) the 12-month period forward from the date the requesting employee’s first FMLA leave begins. The employee’s next FMLA leave year would begin the first time FMLA leave is taken after completion of the previous 12-month period. The employee is entitled to maintain their benefits, but they must continue to pay their portion during the leave.
Request for leave should be submitted to their supervisor and Human Resource Office. Medical certification may be required. Upon returning to work after the employee’s own FMLA qualifying illness, the employee will be required to provide a fitness for duty certificate from a health care provider.
Shared Leave
The purpose of the shared leave program is to permit state employees, at no significantly increased cost to the state, to share their accrued leave with another state employee that meets eligibility criteria (WAC 357 – 31 – 390).The college shared leave program permits state employees, to come to the aid of another state employee who is likely to take leave without pay or terminate his or her employment because:
- The employee has been called to service in the uniformed services;
- The employee is volunteering with a governmental agency or a nonprofit organization when a state of emergency has been declared within the United States;
- The employee or a relative or household member is suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition; or
- The employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking as defined in RCW 41.04.655.
The college may authorize shared leave for employees who have exhausted accrued leave and are absent due to emergency situations such as communicable disease epidemics. The college maintains procedures to support shared leave in accordance with chapter 41.04 RCW.
Employees of the college may donate accrued sick or vacation leave or all or part of their personal holiday to a fellow employee who is suffering from or has a relative or household member suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness or impairment which may cause the employee to take leave without pay or terminate employment.
Administrative/exempt and classified employees must donate a minimum of 8 hours and may donate vacation leave, sick leave and/or personal holiday leave. An employee donating sick leave must retain a minimum balance of 176 hours (22 days). An employee donating vacation leave must retain a balance of 80 hours (10 days). Faculty members must donate a minimum of 7 hours and may donate sick leave. A faculty member donating sick leave must retain a balance of 154 hours (22 days). Employees whose salaries are paid from external funds such as contracted dollars or purchased services are excluded from participating in the shared leave program. Employees cannot donate excess vacation leave hours that otherwise would have been lost due to their annual anniversary date. WAC 357-31-380; WAC 357-31390; WAC 357-31-395
Military Leave
All College employees who are members of, or who are in the process of enlisting for, any of the United States uniformed services are eligible for both military training time off and military unpaid leave.
The College follows the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and Washington state law, which offer certain rights to employees in the uniformed services. U.S. uniformed services include:
- Army
- Navy
- Air Force
- Marine Corps
- Coast Guard
- Public Health Service Commissioned Corps
- Army or Air National Guard
- Any reserve components of the services listed above
Time off or a leave of absence may be taken for military requirements such as:
- Active duty
- Training and drills
- Physical examination
- Funeral honors duty
You will not be denied employment, reemployment, promotion, or other benefits of employment because of your membership — or application for membership — in any of the U.S. uniformed services.
Bereavement
Administrative Exempt Employees
Four days of bereavement leave shall be granted for a death in the employee’s immediate family. Bereavement leave may be extended with the approval of the president or designee. The employee will be required to request the leave in the college’s time reporting system. Up to three (3) additional days shall be granted for out of state travel.
Classified Employees
Classified employees should refer to the current WPEA Agreement for information regarding bereavement leave.
Faculty
Faculty (Full and part-time) should refer to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement for information regarding bereavement leave.
Represented Exempt Employees
Represented Exempt Employees should refer to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement for information regarding bereavement leave.
Civil – Jury Duty Leave
Administrative Exempt Employees
Administrative exempt employees are granted leave with pay for jury duty or to perform other subpoenaed civil duties. Leave pay will be equal to full salary for the time involved. All jury duty leave must be reported in the college’s time reporting system and a copy of the summons forwarded to the Human Resource Department. Compensation received by the employee for civil service does not need to be reported to the employer.
Classified Employees
Classified employees should refer to the current WPEA Agreement for information regarding Civil – Jury Duty leave.
Faculty
Faculty (Full and part-time) should refer to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement for information regarding Civil – Jury Duty leave.
Represented Exempt Employees
Represented Exempt Employees should refer to the current Collective Bargaining Agreement for information regarding civil – jury duty leave.