WASHINTON – The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has published a new Administrative Policy pertaining to paid sick leave. The purpose of this administrative policy is to provide answers to frequently asked questions on the state’s paid sick leave requirements. Topics covered include, but are not limited to, general compliance issues, recordkeeping, notice and verification requirements, the use of paid time off programs in lieu of sick leave, and interactions with other leave laws.
This policy was developed as part of the department’s ongoing commitment to providing stakeholders with guidance related to paid sick leave and other aspects of Initiative 1433 (I-1433). Following the passage of I-1-433 on November 8, 2016, the department engaged in rulemaking to adopt and implement rules to carry out and enforce I-1433. During the rulemaking process in 2017, the department committed to providing additional interpretive guidance through the development of administrative policies.
This administrative policy, focused on frequently asked paid sick leave questions, was first released to stakeholders in July 2019. L&I adopted the final policy after extensive engagement with stakeholders in the business and labor communities. You can read all Employment Standards Administrative Policies on the L&I website.
