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UW/SEIU 1199 Contract (Effective 7/1/09 - 6/30/11)
Article 16 Sick Leave

16.1 Sick Leave - Accrual.

Full-time classified employees (pro-rated for part-time) shall accrue eight (8) hours of sick leave credit for each month of completed classified service. Paid sick leave may not be used in advance of accrual. Sick leave credits shall not accrue during a leave of absence without pay which exceeds ten (10) working days in any calendar month.

16.2 Sick Leave - Use.

  1. Sick leave shall be allowed an employee under the following conditions. The Employer reserves the right to require medical verification or appropriate proof when sick leave is requested for any reason listed below. The Employer will not make unreasonable requests for sick leave verification.
    1. Because of and during illness, disability or injury which has incapacitated the employee from performing required duties.
    2. By reason of exposure of the employee to a contagious disease during such period as attendance on duty would jeopardize the health of fellow employees or the public.
    3. Because of a health condition of a family member that requires treatment or supervision or that requires the presence of the employee to make arrangements for extended care. The Employer may authorize sick leave use as provided in this subsection for other than family members. The applicability of "emergency," "necessary care" and "extended care" shall be made by the Employer.
    4. To provide emergency child care for the employee's child. Such use of sick leave is limited to twenty-four (24) hours (pro-rated for part-time) in any calendar year, unless extended by the Employer, and shall be used only as specified in Article 15.12.
    5. Because of a family member's death that requires the assistance of the employee in making arrangements for interment of the deceased.
    6. For personal medical, dental, or optical appointments or for family members' appointments when the presence of the employee is required, if arranged in advance with the employing official or designee.
  2. Sick leave may be granted for condolence or bereavement.

16.3 Family Member. Family member is defined as the employee’s spouse or same or opposite sex domestic partner, child, parent, grandparent, grandchild, sister, or brother. Family member also includes individuals in the following relationships with the employee’s spouse or domestic partner: child, parent and grandparent. “Child” also includes any child residing in the employee’s home through foster care, legal guardianship or custody. Family members include those persons in a “step” relationship.

16.4 Bereavement Leave. Paid leave in addition to any other form of paid leave shall be granted for bereavement as follows: one (1) day of bereavement leave shall be granted for each death of a family member. Bereavement leave may be extended to a maximum of three (3) days with the approval of the Employer.

16.5 Sick Leave - Compensation for.

  1. Employees shall be eligible to receive monetary compensation for accrued sick leave as follows:
    1. In January of each year, and at no other time, an employee whose year-end sick leave balance exceeds 480 hours may choose to convert sick leave hours earned in the previous calendar year minus those used during the year to monetary compensation.
      1. No sick leave hours may be converted which would reduce the calendar year-end balance below 480 hours.
      2. Monetary compensation for converted hours shall be paid at the rate of 25% and shall be based upon the employee's current salary.
      3. All converted hours will be deducted from the employee's sick leave balance.
    2. Employees who separate from state service due to retirement or death shall be compensated for their unused sick leave accumulation at the rate of 25%. Compensation shall be based upon the employee's salary at the time of separation. For the purpose of this subsection, retirement shall not included "vested out-of-service" employees who leave funds on deposit with the retirement system.
  2. Compensation for unused sick leave shall not be used in computing the retirement allowance; therefore no contributions are to be made to the retirement system for such payments, nor shall such payments be reported as compensation.
  3. An employee who separates from the classified service for any reason other than retirement or death shall not be paid for accrued sick leave.

16.6 Unexpected Absence: Advance Notification. Employees working the first (day) shift shall notify the Staffing Office or their Supervisor at least two hours in advance of the scheduled shift if unable to report for duty as scheduled. Employees working the second (evening) shift and third (night) shift shall notify the Staffing Office or their Supervisor at least three hours in advance of the scheduled shift if unable to report for duty as scheduled. Failure to notify the Staffing Office or Supervisor and meet the minimum advance notice requirement may result in loss of paid sick leave for that day.

16.7 Reemployed Former Employees. Former eligible employees who are re-employed within three (3) years of their separation from service shall be granted all unused sick leave credits, if any, to which they were entitled at time of separation.

16.8 Use of Vacation Leave or Compensatory Time for Sick Leave Purposes. An employee who has used all accrued sick leave may be allowed to use accrued vacation leave and/or compensatory time off for sick leave purposes when approved in advance or authorized by the Employer.

16.9 Restoration of Vacation Leave. In the event of an incapacitating illness or injury during vacation leave, the Employer may authorize the use of sick leave and the equivalent restoration of any vacation leave otherwise charged. Such requests shall be in writing and medical verification may be required.

16.10 No Arbitrary Denial of Sick Leave. The parties agree that neither the abuse nor the arbitrary denial of sick leave will be condoned. The Employer and the Union agree to work cooperatively toward the resolution of mutually identified problems regarding the use of sick leave. The Employer may provide periodic updates to employees regarding their use of sick leave. Such updates will not be considered counseling or disciplinary.

16.11 Choice of Leave. In accordance with RCW 49.12 and WAC 296-130, employees shall be allowed to use any or all of their choice of sick leave or other paid time off to care for their: (a) child with a health condition that requires treatment or supervision or (b) spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent who has a serious health condition or an emergency condition. Employees shall not be disciplined or otherwise discriminated against because of their exercise of these rights.