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More information on Washington’s sick leave law, including sample sick leave
policies, can be found at http://www.lni.wa.gov/WorkplaceRights/LeaveBenefits/
VacaySick/PaidSickLeave.asp.

d. Pregnancy/Maternity Leave Under the WLAD

In addition to WFLA requirements, Washington State Human Rights
Commission regulations also require covered employers to grant employees leave
for sickness or disability due to pregnancy or childbirth. (See WAC 162-30-020(4)(a)
(“An employer shall provide a woman a leave of absence for the period of time that
she is sick or temporarily disabled because of pregnancy or childbirth. Employers
must treat a woman on pregnancy related leave the same as other employees on
leave for sickness or other temporary disabilities.”). Thus, even employers with too
few employees for WFLA coverage must provide employees with leave for
conditions related to maternity and childbirth. As noted above, the WLAD covers
employers with 8 or more employees.

e. Washington Military Family Leave Act

The Washington Military Family Leave Act (“WMFLA”), RCW 49.77, allows an
employee whose spouse is a member of the United States armed forces, National
Guard, or reserves who has been notified of an impending call or order to active
duty, or who has been deployed, or who is on leave from deployment, a total of 15
days of unpaid leave per deployment.

The employee may take the 15 days of leave before the deployment of the
military spouse or when the military spouse is on a leave from the deployment. For

each new deployment of the military spouse, the employee may take another
family military leave of up to 15 days.

The employee must give notice to his or her employer of the intent to take
the family military leave within five business days of receiving official notice of the
call or order to active duty or deployment, or within five business days of official
notice of the military spouse’s upcoming leave from the deployment. To be eligible,
the employee must work an average of at least 20 hours per week for the
employer. Family military leave is only available during a period when Congress
has declared war, the President has declared war by executive order, or military
reserves have been called to active duty. The law covers any employer with one or
more employees.

WASHINGTON NONPROFIT HANDBOOK -234- 2018