Sick Leave Policy

Responsible Unit: Human Resources | Executive lead:Vice President of Human Resources and Workplace Experience
Created: 2018 | Reviewed/Revised: 9/23/2019, 3/28/2023, 7/29/2025 | Effective: 8/1/2025 
Compliance: RCW 49.46.210, NWCCU 2.F.1 
Approving Body: ELT | Classification: Institution-wide 

Policy:  
PNWU provides paid sick leave in accordance with applicable federal and state laws. Employees begin accruing paid sick leave on their first day of employment. Accrued sick leave becomes available for use after 30 days of employment.

In any instance where this policy conflicts with applicable law, PNWU will comply with the prevailing legal requirements.

1. Sick Leave Usage

Employees may use accrued paid sick leave for the following reasons, for themselves or a qualifying family member.

a. Diagnosis, care or treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, including temporary disability. 
b. Preventive medical, dental, psychological, or optical care.
c. Circumstances covered under the Washington State Domestic Violence Leave Act.
d. Closure of the employee’s workplace, or their child’s school/place of care by public order for a health-related reason.
e. Exposure to contagious disease that may endanger others in the university community.
f. Situations arising from declared emergencies (local, state or federal)
g. Participation in judicial or administrative immigration proceedings.
 

2. Definitions

Family member:

  • a child, grandchild, grandparent, parent, sibling, or spouse of an employee, and includes any individual who regularly resides in the employee’s home or where the relationship creates an expectation that the employee cares for the person, and that individual depends on the employee for care.
    • Family members include: any individual who regularly resides in the employee’s home, except that it does not include an individual who simply resides in the same house with no expectation that the employee cares for the individual.

Child: biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a child’s spouse, 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.

Grandchild: a child of the employee’s child.

Grandparent: a parent of the employee’s parent.

Parent: the biological, adoptive, de facto, foster parent, stepparent, or legal guardian of an employee or the employee’s spouse, or an individual who stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child.

Spouse: a husband or wife or state-registered domestic partner.

3. Sick Leave Approval and Documentation

Sick leave is granted on the approval of the employee’s supervisor. Such a request should be made on the first day of absence or in advance if possible. The employee, upon return to work, must log the absences in the time-keeping system of record.

For absences exceeding three (3) consecutive days, a supervisor may request verification that the use of paid sick leave is for an authorized purpose. When verification is requested, employees must provide verification within a reasonable time during or after the period of leave. 

Verification of Sick Leave Use

a. For Employee or Family Member’s Illness or Medical Care (any of the following is acceptable):

  • Note from a healthcare provider.
  • Employee’s written or verbal statement indicating that paid sick leave was necessary to care for themselves or a family member.
  • Other appropriate documentation, such as proof of medical treatment for a family member.

b. For Use Under the Domestic Violence Leave Act (any of the following is acceptable):

  • A written statement that the employee or a family member is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, and that leave was taken to address related matters.
  • A police report or court issued documentation
  • Confirmation from an advocate, attorney, medical professional or clergy.

c. For Participation in a Judicial or Immigration Proceeding:

  • A written statement from an advocate for immigrants or refugees, an attorney, a member of the clergy, or another qualified professional.

Note: Any documentation related to immigration proceedings must not include personally identifiable information about the immigration status or underlying immigration protection of the employee or their family member.

4. Sick Leave Eligibility & Accrual

All employees—regular, temporary, and seasonal—are eligible to earn sick leave.

  • Full-Time (0.70–1.00 FTE): Accrue 8.0 hours of sick leave for each full calendar month worked (equivalent to 96 hours, or 12 eight-hour days, per year).
  • Less Than Full-Time (below 0.70 FTE): Accrue sick leave on a pro-rated basis 
  • Unpaid Status: Sick leave does not accrue during any period in which the employee is on unpaid status.
  • Maximum Accrual: Sick leave balances are capped at 960 hours; accrual stops when the cap is reached and resumes if the balance falls below 960.

Note: when an official University holiday falls within an employee’s sick leave, sick leave is not charged for that day.

5. Reinstatement of Previously Accrued Unused Paid Sick Leave

Employees rehired within 12 months of separation will have their unused accrued sick leave reinstated. Their previous period of employment will count towards the 30-day eligibility period to use sick leave.

6. Sick Leave Payout at the Time of Retirement or Separation

Legacy Employees
Employees hired before January 1, 2009, are considered Legacy Employees for the purposes of sick leave payout. Legacy Employees with 10 or more years of service are eligible to receive a payout for one-fourth of their accrued but unused sick leave, up to a maximum of 30 days (240 hours). This payment is based on the employee’s hourly rate of pay at the time of retirement/separation and is available only once during the employee’s employment at PNWU. The employee must be on active payroll at the time of retirement or separation to be eligible.

Employees Hired before to August 1, 2025
Employees hired before August 1, 2025, who retire at age 62 or older with 10 or more years of service, including those rehired under the reinstatement policy above, are eligible to receive a payout for one-fourth of their accrued but unused sick leave, up to a maximum of 20 days (160 hours). The payment is based on the employee’s hourly rate of pay at the time of retirement/separation, not to exceed $12,000. This payment is available only once during an employee’s employment at PNWU. The employee must be on active payroll at the time of retirement/separation to be eligible.

Employees Hired on or After August 1, 2025
Employees hired on or after August 1, 2025, are not eligible for any sick leave payout upon retirement or separation.

Procedure
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Related documents
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Policy Resources

For assistance with policies and procedures contact:

Dee Dennis
ddennis@pnwu.edu