Applying Leave

Applying for an EMPLOYEE Health Leave

LEAVE REQUEST CONTACTS 

WHAT ARE EMPLOYEE LEAVE RIGHTS?

  • FMLA – Family & Medical Leave Act – Federal Rights

    The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) provides eligible employees up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave a year, and requires group health benefits to be maintained during the leave as if employees continued to work instead of taking leave. Employees are also entitled to return to their same or an equivalent job at the end of their FMLA leave.

    In order to be eligible to take leave under the FMLA, an employee must:

    • Work for a covered employer;
    • Have worked 1,250 hours during the 12 months prior to the start of leave (Paid leave and unpaid leave, including FMLA leave, are not included); and
    • Have worked for the employer for 12 months.

    FMLA leave can be paid leave or unpaid leave. In either case, the District will continue its contribution for employee’s benefits for up to 12 weeks. If employee already pays part of own premiums through payroll deduction, employee’s share of the monthly premiums will have to continue as well. If employee’s leave is paid, this will be deducted from employee’s paycheck. Employee will receive a letter with payment instructions. After 12 weeks, employee’s benefits could continue through COBRA. Information will be mailed to employee when he/she becomes eligible for COBRA, and then employee can make elections and pay premiums directly to COBRA.

  • Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (administered through the Employment Security Department) is for times when something major keeps an employee away from work. Paid sick days can be used for less serious or short-term health conditions that keep employee from working, typically for less than a week.

    With Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (administered through the Employment Security Department), unless employee welcomed a new child into his/her family, there is a “waiting week” before employee can begin receiving benefit payment. The “waiting week” is the first week an employee is approved to file a weekly claim and employee will not be paid for that week (this does not apply to leave to bond with a new child). Claim weeks always start on Sunday and end the following Saturday. If employee’s qualifying event occurs after Sunday in the first week employee needs to take leave, the waiting week may be less than a week. During this time, employee may use paid time off from employer, including paid vacation or sick days, without impact on Paid Family and Medical Leave benefits. If the first week of paid family or medical leave happens before employee receives the approval letter and are able to begin filing weekly claims, that first week still counts as employee’s waiting week.

IS WASHINGTON PAID FAMILY & MEDICAL LEAVE THE SAME AS FMLA?

These programs are different. See attached comparison table

The Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal law that allows some employees to take unpaid leave for family and medical reasons. It only applies to people who work for businesses with 50 or more employees.

Paid Family & Medical Leave (administered through the Employment Security Department) is a new state insurance program in Washington that provides paid leave for people when they need to care for themselves or a family member after childbirth or a serious illness or injury, or for certain military-connected events. It applies to just about every business and employee in Washington.

WHEN SHOULD AN EMPLOYEE APPLY FOR A LEAVE OF ABSENCE?

  • If an employee will be off of work for more than 5 days, whether paid leave or not, an employee must apply for a leave of absence and provide a doctor’s note. This does not apply to employees who will be on an approved vacation that is covered by their own accrued vacation leave.
  • If an employee does not have paid leave, or he/she may need to take extensive intermittent leave, employee should apply for a leave of absence or an intermittent leave of absence.

HOW DOES AN EMPLOYEE APPLY FOR THEIR OWN HEALTH LEAVE?

Submit an Employee Leave Request Form and a Certification of Health Care Provider for Employee’s Serious Health Condition to Cherie Broeker ([email protected]).

WHAT HAPPENS TO EMPLOYEE BENEFITS WHILE ON LEAVE?

The District contribution toward to the cost of the employee benefits will continue as long as the employee either is in a paid status, or as long as the employee’s leave is qualified as FMLA. If employee’s benefits premium exceeds the District contribution, employee will continue to be responsible for paying the share of the monthly insurance premium in order to maintain benefits.

WHAT HAPPENS IF EMPLOYEE DOES NOT HAVE ANY SICK LEAVE, PERSONAL LEAVE OR VACATION LEAVE?

  • Long Disability Salary Replacement Insurance - Employees who are covered by District benefits are also covered by Long Term Disability Salary Replacement Insurance. If an employee’s health leave will extend beyond 90 calendar days, contact Benefits at 253-583-5124 for information on how to apply for Long Term Disability Salary Replacement Insurance. Employee can apply for this benefit through “SEBB My Account” online.
  • For information on Washington Paid Family Leave, select here.

HOW CAN EMPLOYEE APPLY FOR AND RECEIVE SHARED/DONATED LEAVE FROM CO-WORKERS?

  • Shared Leave – If an employee would like to request shared leave donations from co-workers, submit request form to the Payroll/Benefits team. Complete the Request for Shared Leave Form in order for the request to be considered for approval. If approved, the District will put employee’s leave share request in the weekly Newsbrief.

WHAT ABOUT EMPLOYEE’S JOB; HOW LONG IS MY POSITION PROTECTED?

An employee’s right to return to his/her position (or similar) is protected for the period of time covered by FMLA.