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November 25, 2024
Enacted in 2016, the Washington State Paid Sick Leave Law (“Paid Sick Leave Law”) requires employers to provide non-exempt employees with paid sick leave for protected reasons, including (1) the employee’s personal medical care; (2) to care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; (3) to care for a child when their school or place of care is closed for a health-related reason; (4) closure of the employee’s place of business for a health-related issue; or (5) for reasons under Washington’s Domestic Violence Leave Act.
The legislature amended the Paid Sick Leave Law, effective January 1, 2025, by expanding the definition of family member and child; by defining a grandchild, a grandparent, and a spouse; and by expanding the reasons for which employees can take paid sick leave.
The definition of a “family member” will be expanded to include any individual who regularly resides in the employee’s home or where the relationship creates an expectation that the employee will care for the individual, and the individual depends on the employee for care.
The definition of a “child” will be expanded to include a child’s spouse. “Grandchild” will be defined as “a child of the employee’s child” and “grandparent” will be defined as “a parent of the employee’s parent.” A “spouse” will be defined as a husband, wife, or state registered domestic partner.
The amended law also will include a right to paid sick leave when the employee’s place of business, or the employee’s child’s school or place of care, is closed due to the declaration of an emergency by a local or state government or agency, or by the federal government.
Washington State employers should update their paid sick leave policies to reflect the changes by January 1, 2025.
*Special thanks to Kayla Olsen, our intern, for her contributions to this article.
The author of this article, Patricia Tsipras, is a member of the Bar of Pennsylvania. This article is designed to provide one perspective regarding recent legal developments, and is not intended to serve as legal advice in Pennsylvania, Washington, or any other jurisdiction, nor does it establish an attorney-client relationship with any reader of the article where one does not exist. Always consult an attorney with specific legal issues.
