What is family leave?
Family leave is used to take paid time off to:
- Care for a family member with a serious health condition.
- Bond with a new child born or placed into your family.
- Spend time with a family member who is about to be deployed overseas, is returning from overseas deployment or dealing with family issues related to the deployment.
Effective June 9, 2022
You may also use family leave for the seven days following the loss of a child if you meet one of these requirements:
- You would have qualified for prenatal or postnatal medical leave for the birth of your child. RCW 50A.05.010(10)(d),
- You would have qualified for family leave to bond with your child during the first 12 months after birth, or
- You had a child under the age of 18 placed in your home and qualified for bonding leave within the first 12 months of placement.
More to know about family leave for the loss of a child
- The waiting week does not apply to family leave for the loss of a child.
- Family leave for the loss of a child must meet one of the above requirements, but you do not have to be a birth parent. It does not include leave for the death of any other family member.
- Any death of a child occurring prior to the law going into effect (June 9, 2022) is not eligible. You will need to provide us with the date of death and documentation or an attestation to qualify for this leave. You can call us or send a secure message to let us know, and we may request additional documentation.
- Family leave for the loss of a child is not another type of leave. It is a form of family leave, so it will use hours from your available duration of leave in a claim year.