WASHINGTON: paid sick time mandated for employees working in Seattle

Do you have employees that perform work within the city of Seattle? If so, then you’ll need to be sure to comply with the City of Seattle’s new paid sick time ordinance, approved by the City Council on September 12, 2011 (Substitute C.B. 117216). The ordinance, which goes into effect on September 1, 2012, mandates that all employees who are employed by an employer of five or more full-time equivalents (FTEs) and who perform work in Seattle have the right to accrue paid sick time and paid “safe time.” (Employees who spend only some of their work time in Seattle are covered by the ordinance if they work at least 240 hours in Seattle within a calendar year.) Paid safe time is paid time off for certain reasons related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking, as well as time off when an employee’s workplace or the employee’s child’s school or daycare has been closed for certain reasons. Paid sick time may be used not only for the employee’s own illness or disability, but also to care for certain family members. The ordinance uses a tier system to determine how much paid time off must be accrued and may be used in a calendar year:

• Tier One (employers of 5 to 49 FTEs): Employees must accrue at least one hour of paid time for every 40 hours worked, and the employer need not allow an employee to use more than 40 hours of paid time in a calendar year.
• Tier Two (employers of 50 to 249 FTEs): Employees must accrue at least one hour of paid time for every 40 hours worked, and the employer need not allow an employee to use more than 56 hours of paid time in a calendar year.
• Tier Three (employers of 250 or more FTEs): Employees must accrue at least one hour of paid time for every 30 hours worked, and the employer need not allow an employee to use more than 72 hours of paid time in a calendar year.

Questions about this mandate? Contact your Vigilant staff representative.