Are employers required to provide paid vacations and holidays?

In Washington, employers are not required to provide paid vacations or holidays. However, employers may choose to offer these benefits as part of their employee benefits package. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries does not require employers to offer paid vacation or holidays, and does not regulate vacation and holiday benefits. Washington State does require employers to pay employees overtime if they work more than 40 hours per week. In addition, the Washington State Family Leave Act grants eligible employees 12 weeks of unpaid leave to care for a family member or a personal illness. The Family and Medical Leave Act also gives employees up to 12 weeks of job-protected leave in certain circumstances. In Washington, employees are also eligible for paid sick leave, or a combination of paid and unpaid leave, under the Washington State Paid Sick Leave law. Employers must provide a minimum number of hours of paid sick leave (at least one hour for every forty hours worked) for full-time and part-time employees. Employees can use this time for personal illness, to care for a family member, or to address the effects of domestic violence. In summary, employers in Washington State are not required to provide paid vacation or holidays. However, employers may choose to offer these benefits to their employees as part of their overall employee benefits package. There are some laws in place that do provide employees with paid and unpaid leave, such as the Washington State Family Leave Act and the Paid Sick Leave law.

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