What are the requirements for paid and unpaid leaves of absence?

In Washington, labor and employment laws regulate the requirements for paid and unpaid leaves of absence for employees. Generally speaking, all employers in the state are required by law to provide eligible employees with up to twelve weeks of unpaid family and medical leave, and an additional sixteen weeks of family and medical leave for military exigencies. Additionally, employers with eight or more employees in the state are required to provide eligible employees with up to twelve weeks of paid parental leave. This leave is paid at 90 percent of the employee’s normal wages, up to the state’s maximum weekly wage. In addition, employers with fifteen or more employees must provide eligible employees with up to two weeks of paid sick leave annually. Finally, Washington state law requires employers to provide certain leave benefits to employees in certain specific circumstances. For example, employers are required to provide certain leave benefits to workers who are victims of domestic violence, and employers must provide up to twelve weeks of unpaid leave for eligible employees who are called to active duty in the armed forces. These are the general requirements for paid and unpaid leaves of absence in Washington state. However, additional laws may apply to certain employers or industries, so employers should consult with labor and employment law experts to ensure that they are in compliance with all applicable laws.

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