Leave – Classified Employees

Vacation time is earned monthly and is credited at the end of the month accrued. Vacation leave may not be taken before it is earned.  Classified employees may use their vacation leave immediately upon accrual. Employees who transfer from another state agency without a break in service may also transfer up to 30 days of vacation leave for immediate use at EWU. All leave must be approved by the employee’s supervisor in advance of use. Upon termination of employment employees may receive payment of their accrued vacation time.

Leave Accruals

Classified employees may accumulate vacation leave up to 240 hours. Leave over the 240 hours must be used by the first of the employee’s anniversary month.  Leave over the 240 hours not used by the first of the anniversary month will automatically be lost. Part time employees will accrue vacation on a prorated basis.

Employees who are on a leave of absence without pay for more than 10 days in a calendar month will not earn vacation hours for that month.

Sick time off may be used for:

• An absence resulting from an employee’s mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; to accommodate the employee’s need for medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; an employee’s need for preventative medical care; medical, dental or optical appointments and for reasons allowed under the Minimum Wage Requirements and Labor Standards, RCW 49.46.210.
• A period of quarantine following the exposure to a contagious disease during the period when attendance on duty would jeopardize the health of others
• For reasons allowed under the Minimum Wage Requirements and Labor Standards, RCW 49.46.210, and for absences qualifying for leave under the Family Care Act, WAC 296-130. This includes providing care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; care of a family member who needs medical diagnosis, care, or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury or health condition; care for a family member who needs preventative medical care; or medical, dental or optical appointments. For purposes of this Article, the definition of a family member is defined as follows:

1. A child, including a biological, adopted, or foster child, stepchild or a child to whom the employee stands in loco parentis, is a legal guardian or is a de facto parent, regardless of age or dependency status;
2. A biological, adoptive, de facto, or foster parent, stepparent, or legal guardian of an employee or the employee’s spouse or registered domestic partner, or a person who stood in loco parentis when the employee was a minor child;
3. A spouse;
4. A registered domestic partner;
5. A grandparent;
6. A grandchild; or
7. A sibling

In accordance with RCW 49.46.210, when an employee’s place of business has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason, or when an employee’s child’s school or place of care has been closed for such a reason. Health-related reason, as defined in WAC 296-128-600 (8), means a serious public health concern that could result in bodily injury or exposure to an infectious agent, biological toxin, or hazardous material. Health-related reason does not include closure for inclement weather;

• Absences that qualify for leave under the Domestic Violence Leave Act, Chapter 49-76 RCW and/or EWU policy 403-05, Employee Leave Related to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, & Stalking;
• Absences that qualify for leave under the Military Family Leave Act, Chapter 49.77 RCW;
• Bereavement leave beyond the three days of paid bereavement leave, if such use is approved in advance by the employee’s supervisor;
• Other circumstances if authorized by the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO)

SICK ACCRUALS

Classified employees accrue eight (8) hours of sick leave for each completed calendar month, provided an employee does not have more than 10 days leave without pay in that month.  Part-time employees will accrue sick leave on a prorated basis.

There is no limit on the amount of sick time off employees may accrue as a classified employee, but employees may not use sick time until they have accrued it and it is available in their leave balance.

Sick Leave Reporting

Employees must notify their supervisor (or designee) as soon as reasonably possible when they will be absent due to illness or injury.  If an employee is in a position where a relief replacement is necessary if they are absent, they will notify their supervisor at least two (2) hours prior to their scheduled time to report to work, whenever possible.

Classified employees receive one personal leave day each calendar year. The personal leave day may be used immediately upon hire but must be scheduled at the convenience of the employing department. The personal leave day must to be used on or before December 31 of each calendar year or the day will be forfeited.

Classified and Exempt employees receive one personal holiday each calendar year. The personal holiday may be used immediately upon hire but must be scheduled at the convenience of the employing department. The personal holiday is to be used on or before December 31 of each calendar year or the day will be forfeited.

Classified employees may request parental leave for up to four (4) months, including any period of Family Medical Leave (FMLA) for the birth of the employee’s child or the placement with the employee of an adopted or foster child.  Parental leave may be taken even if the employee does not qualify for FMLA.   Parental leave must be taken within one (1) year following the child’s birth or placement.  Employees may, at their choice, use compensatory time, vacation leave, personal holiday, and unpaid leave in any combination during parental leave.  Parental leave is usually approved as one continuous period of time, however, with a manager’s approval, employees may be able to work intermittently or request a modified work schedule.