Under Washington State Senate Bill 5793, sick leave protections will be expanded under state law. It is scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2025, effectively modifying the requirements around paid sick leave that went into effect in 2018.
The expanded circumstances allow an employee to take paid sick leave when:
- A state/local government or agency, or the federal government has declared an emergency, or
- Their child’s school or place of care has been closed for a health-related reason.
Additionally, the law expands the definition for the following family members for paid sick leave protections:
- Grandparent/grandchild (means employee’s grandparent/grandchild)
- Child’s spouse (included in definition of child)
- Individuals who live in the employee’s home and depend on the employee for care (does not include individuals living in the home who don’t rely on the employee for care)
This article is informational and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Consult with an employment lawyer or accountant for additional clarification on how these changes impact your company.
