Explore the leave policies, programs and resources provided to eligible Washington State University employees.

Annual Leave

Civil Service staff members in full time and part time positions are eligible to accrue and use annual leave. A civil service employee progressively accrues annual leave throughout the years of state employment. Accrual rates and additional information can be found at Civil Service Employee Leave, BPPM 60.57.

Administrative Professional staff members in full-time appointments earn annual leave at the rate of 16.67 hours per month of completed service. Specifics on annual leave can be found at Faculty and Administrative Professional Personnel Leave, BPPM 60.56.

Bereavement Leave 

A supervisor may approve the use of up to three days of bereavement leave to a civil service employee for a death in the family or household defined in WAC 357-01-172 and WAC 357-01-182. Upon request, the supervisor may approve additional leave to be charged against the employee’s available paid leave balances, or the supervisor may approve the use of leave without pay.

Specifics on bereavement leave can be found in Civil Service Employee Leave, BPPM 60.57

Leave due to Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking

WSU provides a variety of resources for employees in domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking situations, including leave and counseling services through the Employee Assistance Program.

More information found on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault or Stalking Leave and Protections website.

Emergency Leave 

The Dean or other principal administrative officer in charge may approve up to five days of emergency leave for the death of a family or household member or other comparable emergency.  The Provost or the Provost’s designee may extend leave up to ten days.   Specifics on emergency leave can be found in the BPPM 60.56 Emergency Leave section and in the Faculty Manual, Sections III and V.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)

Pursuant to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)of 1993 and the State of Washington Family Leave Act, employees may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of leave when the leave is taken for purposes of caring for the employee’s newborn or newly adopted or foster child; to care for the employee’s spouse, son, daughter, or parent who has a serious health condition; or for a serious health condition that makes the employee unable to perform his or her job. This leave is also available for employees who wish to take time to bond with their newborn or adopted child(ren). This leave may be taken as paid or unpaid leave, upon the discretion of the employee. Employer-paid medical benefits will remain effective during the FMLA period as long as the monthly premiums are paid. To receive such benefits, an employee requesting FMLA must notify Human Resource Services within 30 days of the event, or as soon as possible if 30 days notice cannot be given.

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Family Care Leave

Under Washington State Law, employees are eligible to use available sick leave and other paid leave as family care leave. Under the law, an employee is entitled to use any or all of their choice of sick or other paid leave to care for a sick child with a routine illness; a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent with a serious or emergency health condition; and an adult child with a disability.

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Leave without Pay

  • This leave is available to staff for numerous personal reasons, including time off to care for and bond with infants, newly adopted children, and seriously ill children or other family members. When Staff Sick Leave or Family Care Leave is exhausted or is not applicable, the staff member may apply for a leave of absence without pay. (A staff member could also request to use leave without pay in lieu of paid leave.)
  • This leave of absence may be full-time with no pay or part-time with pro-rated pay. Full or part-time parental leave and/or leave without salary will not be extended beyond a two-year period.

Military Leave Policy

  • In order to report for active duty or to take part in active training duty, staff members who are members of the Washington National Guard or of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, or Marine Corps Reserve of the United States, or of any organized reserve or armed forces of the United States shall be entitled to and shall be granted paid military leave of absence from such employment for a period not exceeding 21 working days during each year, beginning October 1st and ending the following September 30th.
  • Contact Human Resource Services for additional information regarding use of other paid leave and The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

Military Related Leave

Professional Leave

Administrative Professional (AP) employees are eligible for WSU’s Professional Leave Program.

Professional leave provides an opportunity for study, research, and creative activities for the enhancement of the institution’s instructional and research programs. Each fall, the Office of the Provost announces program guidelines and application procedures.

Reasonable Accommodation

WSU is committed to providing equal opportunity in its services, programs, and employment for individuals with disabilities. Information about the Reasonable Accommodation program can be found at: Reasonable Accommodation Policy, BPPM 60.21.

Forms:

HRS Disability Services – Reasonable Accommodations.

Shared Leave

The shared leave program offered by WSU allows qualifying staff the opportunity to receive donated leave to utilize as if it were their own. Shared leave is available for major life events such as extraordinary or severe illness or injury of the staff member or a qualified family member, for staff called to military service, and other qualifying events as outlined at:

Policy: Shared Leave, BPPM 60.58

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Sick Leave – Faculty 

Faculty in full-time appointments earn sick leave at the rate of 8 hours per month of completed service. Academic-year employees earn eight hours per month for each full calendar month or full-time summer employment. Specifics on sick leave can be found in BPPM 60.56, Personnel Leave and in the Faculty Manual, Sections III and V. Sick leave may be used for periods of time that a faculty member may need to take time off for their own medical condition, or to care for a qualified family or household member.

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Holidays

*Employees whose positions are covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement should refer to their contract.

Inclement Weather and Suspended Operations

Leave Policies by Employee Type

Administrative Leave Policies

Bargaining Unit Employee Leave Policies

Civil Service Leave Policies

Faculty Leave Policies