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Labor & Employment Law

: Employment Advisory

By Rod Stephens

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Employer Alert: New Washington Leave Laws

The Washington legislature has passed two new laws that impact the workplace. These laws apply to all employers in our State, regardless of size.

The first allows leave for victims of domestic violence and their families. That law went into effect on April 1, 2008. Some of the key components of the law are:

1. The law allows victims of sexual assault or domestic violence to take reasonable leave, including intermittent leave, to receive counseling and/or medical care, as well as, to take care of legal and law enforcement needs.

2. The leave can be paid or unpaid. The employee can use accrued personal time off, sick, or vacation for this leave.

3. The leave also allows families members of a victim of domestic violence or assault to take time off of work to assist the victim obtain help or treatment. Family member is defined as child, spouse, parent, parent in law, grandparent, and person the victim is dating.

For more information on this law, click here

The second leave law goes into effect on July 12, 2008. This law allows 15 days of leave to the spouse of individuals that are on leave from military deployment or before and up to military deployment. To qualify for this leave, an employee must work a minimum of 20 hours per week and provide the employer with notice of their intention to take leave within 5 days of receiving official notice that the employee?s spouse will be on leave or has been called to active duty. For more information on this law, click here

Our recommendation is for employers to immediately adopt handbook policies that address the issues raised by these laws.

Nothing in this Blog should be considered legal advice or to form an attorney client relationship. The observations made are general in nature and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice designed to address your particular legal problem. Individuals are encouraged to seek legal counsel that can advise them based on their unique matter.

Full post as published by Employment Advisory on April 09, 2008 (boomark / email).