What Are the Washington State PTO Laws? (w/Examples) + FAQs

Washington State does not require private employers to offer paid vacation or general paid time off (PTO), but it does mandate paid sick leave, paid family and medical leave, and long-term care benefits under a web of statutes enforced by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and the Employment Security Department. The core problem is that workers and employers confuse “PTO” as one federal right, when in reality it is a patchwork of state rules under RCW 49.46.210, RCW Title 50A, and local ordinances like Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time, and the immediate consequence of misreading them is wage theft liability, civil penalties, and double damages.

According to the Washington Employment Security Department’s 2025 annual report, more than 250,000 Washington workers filed Paid Family and Medical Leave claims last year, a 14% jump from 2024, and the average approved claim paid out roughly $1,456 per week.

Here is what you will learn:

• 🏥 How Washington’s paid sick leave accrual, carryover, and usage rules work under state law
• 💰 When and how employers must pay out unused PTO at separation (and when they legally can refuse)
• 👶 How the Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program replaces wages during bonding, caregiving, and medical events
• 🏙️ Which city ordinances in Seattle, Tacoma, and SeaTac layer extra PTO obligations on top of state law
• ⚖️ The mistakes, penalties, and real cases that cost Washington employers millions every year

Washington PTO at a Glance: Federal Floor vs. State Ceiling

Federal law sets almost no paid leave floor for private workers. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) does not require vacation, sick leave, holiday pay, or PTO payout at termination. The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) only guarantees unpaid, job-protected leave for up to 12 weeks, and only for employers with 50 or more workers within a 75-mile radius.

Washington stacks additional mandates on top of that federal floor. The state requires paid sick leave for nearly every hourly worker through RCW 49.46.210. It runs a state-funded wage replacement program through the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. It also runs the WA Cares Fund for long-term care, which interacts with employee paychecks starting at 0.58% of wages.

The consequence of confusing federal minimums with Washington maximums is simple: employers who rely only on FLSA rules routinely face L&I wage complaint investigations that end in back pay, interest, and civil penalties. A plain-English example helps here. If Jessica, a line cook in Bellingham, works 520 hours in a quarter, she has earned 13 hours of protected paid sick leave, and her employer cannot deny or discipline her for using it, even if the employee handbook says “no sick pay in your first 90 days.”

A common misconception is that salaried or exempt employees are excluded. They are not. Washington’s paid sick leave covers nearly every non-exempt employee, and many exempt employees receive it by employer policy or union contract. Another misconception is that “unlimited PTO” frees the employer from state rules. It does not, because the underlying sick leave accrual and payout duties still apply in shadow form.

The Three-Layer Washington Leave Stack

Layer one is Washington Paid Sick Leave, administered by L&I. Every non-exempt employee accrues one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. This began on January 1, 2018 under Initiative 1433 and was expanded in 2025 by SB 5793 to include bereavement and certain family care uses.

Layer two is Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML), administered by the Employment Security Department under RCW 50A.05. PFML provides up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year, and up to 18 weeks in cases of pregnancy-related serious health conditions. The 2026 premium rate is 0.92% of wages, split between employer and employee for businesses with 50 or more workers.

Layer three is local ordinances. Seattle, Tacoma, and SeaTac each layer extra protections. Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) ordinance uses a tiered accrual based on employer size, while Tacoma’s sick leave rule was mostly absorbed into the state law in 2018 but still has local enforcement nuances.

Paid Sick Leave: Washington’s Only True Mandatory PTO

Washington’s paid sick leave law is the single most enforced PTO rule in the state. Under RCW 49.46.210 and WAC 296-128-600, every non-exempt employee, including part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers, accrues paid sick leave. The consequence of failing to provide it is severe. L&I can order back pay, civil penalties under RCW 49.46.090, and double damages for willful violations.

Accrual begins on the first day of employment. Workers earn one hour of sick leave per 40 hours worked. There is no cap on accrual during the year, and employers must allow at least 40 hours to carry over to the next year. An example helps: Marcus, a warehouse associate in Kent, works 2,080 hours in a year. He accrues 52 hours of paid sick leave, uses 10, and must be allowed to carry the remaining 42 hours into the next benefit year.

A common misconception is that employers can front-load sick leave and then refuse carryover. Front-loading is permitted under the L&I front-loading guidance, but only if the employer grants at least the amount the employee would have accrued, and the carryover duty still applies if actual hours exceed the front-loaded amount. Another misconception is that “no-fault” attendance policies override the law. They do not. An employer who disciplines a worker for a protected sick leave absence faces a retaliation claim under RCW 49.46.100.

Qualifying Reasons to Use Sick Leave

Workers can use paid sick leave for their own illness, injury, or mental health condition. They can also use it to care for a family member under a broad definition that includes children, spouses, registered domestic partners, parents, parents-in-law, grandparents, grandchildren, and siblings. The 2025 expansion through SB 5793 added bereavement leave and care for additional household members.

Sick leave also covers “safe time.” A worker can use it to seek help after domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking under RCW 49.76. This includes time for court appearances, relocation, and counseling. The consequence of denying safe time is a separate cause of action with attorney’s fees and emotional distress damages available.

A named example shows how this plays out. Priya, a retail associate in Tukwila, needs three days off to attend a protection order hearing and relocate her children. Her employer cannot demand the police report, and cannot require her to use her sick leave before taking unpaid safe time. A common misconception is that the employer can force the worker to find a replacement for the shift. That practice is specifically banned by WAC 296-128-660.

Documentation and Verification Rules

Employers can require reasonable documentation only if the absence exceeds three consecutive scheduled workdays. This is set in WAC 296-128-660. The employer must tell the worker in writing, in advance, what documentation is acceptable. The consequence of demanding a doctor’s note on day one is an unlawful-conditions finding by L&I.

If the cost of obtaining documentation creates a hardship, the employer must either pay for it or waive the requirement. An example makes this concrete. When David, a part-time barista in Spokane, is out sick for four days with the flu, his employer can ask for a simple signed statement. The employer cannot demand a specialist’s note or lab results, because those create an unreasonable burden.

A common misconception is that the employer can contact the worker’s doctor directly. Federal HIPAA privacy rules and Washington’s own RCW 70.02 block that contact without written authorization. Another misconception is that the employer can dock PTO in increments smaller than the worker’s shortest payroll-tracked increment. State rules cap deductions to the smaller of one hour or the employer’s standard tracking unit.

Rate of Pay for Sick Leave

Sick leave must be paid at the worker’s “normal hourly compensation.” For hourly workers, that is the base wage. For tipped workers, it is at least the state minimum wage, $16.66 per hour in 2026. For commissioned or piece-rate workers, the rate is calculated by averaging earnings over the prior 90 days.

Overtime rates do not apply to paid sick leave unless required by contract. Shift differentials, however, are usually included in “normal hourly compensation.” The consequence of paying sick leave at a lower rate than earned is a wage-and-hour complaint with up to double damages under RCW 49.48.083.

An example: Aisha, a night-shift nursing assistant in Everett, earns $22 per hour plus a $4 shift differential. Her sick leave must be paid at $26 per hour. A common misconception is that bonuses must be included. Discretionary bonuses are excluded, but non-discretionary performance bonuses paid on a schedule must be factored in.

Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML): Washington’s Wage Replacement Program

Washington’s PFML, codified at RCW Title 50A, is separate from paid sick leave and separate from federal FMLA. It pays partial wage replacement during bonding with a new child, caring for a seriously ill family member, the worker’s own serious health condition, or certain military family needs. The program is funded by premiums collected from both employers and employees.

To qualify, a worker must have worked at least 820 hours in Washington during the qualifying period, regardless of whether those hours were with one employer or several. This is a big change from federal FMLA, which limits eligibility to workers at large employers. The consequence for employers who fail to report wages or pay premiums is a penalty of up to $1,000 per occurrence under RCW 50A.45.060.

An example: Carlos, a roofer who worked for three different contractors in King County, logged a combined 1,100 hours in four quarters. He qualifies for PFML even though no single employer worked him enough for FMLA. A common misconception is that independent contractors are automatically covered. They are not, though they can opt in voluntarily through the ESD elective coverage portal.

Benefit Amounts and Duration

PFML pays up to 90% of a worker’s weekly wages, capped at a maximum weekly benefit of $1,714 per week in 2026 (indexed annually). The minimum benefit is $100 per week if the worker’s full benefit would otherwise be lower. Workers can receive up to 12 weeks per year, or up to 18 weeks for pregnancy-related serious health conditions that result in incapacity.

Bonding leave can be taken any time in the first 12 months after a child’s birth, adoption, or foster placement. Medical and caregiving leave can be taken in blocks of at least 8 consecutive hours. The consequence for an employer who denies job restoration after PFML is a private right of action under RCW 50A.35, including back pay, front pay, and attorney’s fees.

A named example illustrates the math. Hana, a software engineer in Redmond earning $5,000 per week, takes 12 weeks of bonding leave after her baby’s birth. She receives the maximum benefit of $1,714 per week for 12 weeks, roughly $20,568 total, and her employer must restore her to the same or a comparable position. A common misconception is that PFML runs concurrently with paid sick leave. It does not. Sick leave and PFML are separate benefits, though employers may require FMLA to run concurrently with PFML in most cases.

Premiums and Employer Obligations

The 2026 PFML premium rate is 0.92% of wages up to the Social Security cap. Employers with 50 or more employees pay 28.57% of the premium, and employees pay 71.43%. Employers with fewer than 50 employees do not pay the employer share but must still collect and remit the employee share. Small employer assistance grants are available for businesses with 150 or fewer employees through the Small Business Assistance Grant program.

Employers must post the mandatory PFML poster in a visible location. They must provide a written notice to employees at the start of leave. The consequence of failing to post is a $100 per violation fine, and failure to give individual notice can support a benefits claim against the employer directly.

An example: a 30-person construction firm in Yakima collects the 0.66% employee share (71.43% × 0.92%) from each worker’s paycheck, remits it quarterly, and files wage reports through the ESD employer portal. A common misconception is that voluntary plans allow the employer to skip premiums entirely. A voluntary plan must be at least as generous as the state plan, and must be approved by ESD in advance.

Vacation, Holiday Pay, and “Traditional” PTO

Washington does not require private employers to provide paid vacation, paid holidays, or general PTO. If the employer chooses to offer these benefits, the benefits become an enforceable contract under RCW 49.52.050 and the Washington Supreme Court’s reasoning in Flower v. T.R.A. Industries. The consequence of promising PTO and then taking it back without proper notice is a wage claim with double damages for willful withholding.

Employers can design almost any vacation structure they want, but the policy must be in writing and applied consistently. Accrual schedules, caps, blackout dates, and usage rules are largely up to the employer. However, once an employee earns vacation under the policy, Washington treats it as earned wages, and earned wages cannot be forfeited without advance written notice.

An example: Rachel, a marketing manager in Tacoma, accrues 120 hours of vacation per year under her employer’s policy. Her company tries to wipe her balance to zero at year-end without prior written notice. That forfeiture violates Washington’s wage deduction rules under WAC 296-126-025, and Rachel can file an L&I wage complaint.

Use-It-or-Lose-It Policies

“Use-it-or-lose-it” vacation policies are legal in Washington, but only with clear advance notice and a reasonable opportunity to use the time. The employer must publish the policy before the accrual period begins, enforce it evenly across employees, and cannot retroactively apply it to already-accrued balances.

The consequence of an unlawful “use-it-or-lose-it” rule is that the forfeited hours revert to the employee as wages. L&I will treat the balance as unpaid compensation, and interest runs from the date of forfeiture. An example: Tom, an accountant in Vancouver, Washington, has 60 hours of banked vacation at year-end. His employer says “all hours zero out on December 31,” but the policy was issued in November. The retroactive application fails, and Tom recovers the 60 hours.

A common misconception is that California’s strict ban on use-it-or-lose-it also applies in Washington. It does not. Washington follows a contract-plus-notice rule: the policy is enforceable if communicated clearly and in advance. Another misconception is that a “reasonable opportunity to use” the time means any chance at all. Courts have held that blackout dates, understaffing, and manager denial can make the opportunity unreasonable.

PTO Payout at Termination

Washington does not require payout of unused vacation or PTO at separation, unless the employer’s policy or a collective bargaining agreement requires it. This is a critical divergence from states like California, which mandate payout. The governing authority is WAC 296-126-023 and the long-standing interpretation in Naches Valley School District v. Cruzen.

If the policy promises payout, the employer must pay it with the final paycheck. Under RCW 49.48.010, final wages, including any promised PTO payout, must be paid by the end of the next regular pay period. The consequence of late payment is double damages for willful withholding plus reasonable attorney’s fees.

A named example clarifies the rule. Jenna, a software tester in Bellevue, resigns with 80 hours of unused PTO. Her handbook states “unused PTO is paid out at separation.” Her employer must pay the 80 hours at her regular rate in her final check. A common misconception is that “at-will” employment waives the payout duty. It does not. The written policy controls regardless of at-will status.

A second misconception is that the employer can impose a “forfeiture on termination for cause” clause. Washington courts have generally allowed these clauses only if they are clearly communicated and not used as a pretext to avoid earned wages. Another misconception is that unused paid sick leave must be paid out at separation. It does not have to be, under WAC 296-128-760, unless the employer chose to combine it into a single PTO bucket with vacation.

Three Real-World Washington PTO Scenarios

Scenarios help the abstract rules click. Each of the three below reflects common fact patterns L&I and ESD see every year. Each scenario uses a named worker in a specific city, and each ends with the controlling statute and likely outcome. The scenarios are drawn from common fact patterns documented in the L&I Workers’ Rights FAQ.

Scenario 1: Front-Loaded Sick Leave and a Mid-Year Termination

Scenario 2: Combined PTO Bucket and the Sick Leave Trap

Scenario 3: PFML Interaction With Employer-Paid Leave

Local Ordinances: Seattle, Tacoma, and SeaTac

Washington’s state paid sick leave preempts most local rules, but Seattle, Tacoma, and SeaTac retain enhanced protections through grandfathered or parallel ordinances. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) enforces the city’s Paid Sick and Safe Time, while Tacoma’s sick leave standards are enforced by its Office of Equity and Human Rights. The consequence of ignoring city ordinances is double enforcement, where a worker can file both a state L&I claim and a city claim for the same underlying facts.

Seattle’s PSST uses tiered accrual. Tier 1 employers with 1-49 employees accrue at one hour per 40 worked, matching the state. Tier 2 employers (50-249) accrue at one hour per 40 with a 56-hour annual cap. Tier 3 employers (250+) accrue at one hour per 30 with a 72-hour cap, plus additional protections for “safe time” use.

An example shows the stakes. A coffee chain headquartered in Portland with 400 Seattle employees accrues PSST at Tier 3 rates. If it only follows the state default, it shorts every Seattle worker by roughly 12 hours per year. The consequence is back pay plus a per-worker civil penalty under SMC 14.16.

A common misconception is that remote workers in Seattle are exempt from PSST. They are not. The OLS interprets the ordinance to cover any employee who performs work within city limits for more than 240 hours in a year. Another misconception is that SeaTac’s Good Jobs Initiative only covers airport workers. It covers hospitality and transportation workers within the SeaTac municipal boundary.

WA Cares Fund and Long-Term Care Interaction

The WA Cares Fund is not PTO in the traditional sense, but it interacts with PTO policies in unexpected ways. Since July 2023, most Washington workers pay a 0.58% payroll premium to fund long-term care benefits of up to $36,500 (indexed). Workers who had private long-term care insurance before November 1, 2021 could apply for a permanent exemption, though that window has closed for most.

The consequence of ignoring WA Cares is a payroll compliance failure. Employers must withhold the premium, report it through ESD, and allow qualifying workers to claim the lifetime benefit. A named example: Benjamin, a Renton paralegal who turns 67 in 2030, can draw up to $36,500 in long-term care services, including in-home caregiving, medical equipment, and facility care.

A common misconception is that WA Cares replaces the need for long-term care insurance. It does not. The benefit is modest, and most households still need private coverage for extended care. Another misconception is that self-employed workers are always covered. They are not automatically covered, and must opt in through WA Cares elective coverage.

Mistakes to Avoid

Washington L&I and ESD publish enforcement summaries each year, and the same mistakes appear again and again. Avoiding them prevents most wage claims and civil penalties. The list below reflects patterns from L&I’s annual enforcement report.

• Requiring a doctor’s note on day one of sick leave. This violates WAC 296-128-660 and creates a retaliation claim with double damages.
• Forfeiting accrued PTO at year-end without written advance notice. Retroactive forfeiture is treated as unpaid wages and draws interest plus attorney’s fees.
• Running PFML concurrently with paid sick leave. These are separate benefits, and stacking them wrong denies the worker a statutory right under RCW 50A.15.
• Deducting “unearned” front-loaded sick leave from a final paycheck. The deduction violates RCW 49.52.050 and can trigger triple damages.
• Disciplining a worker under a “no-fault” attendance policy for protected sick leave absences. L&I treats this as retaliation and issues back pay orders.
• Ignoring Seattle PSST tiered accrual for Tier 3 employers. The shortfall compounds across every Seattle worker and generates substantial civil penalties.
• Failing to post the mandatory PFML and paid sick leave notices. Each missing poster is a separate $100 violation.
• Paying sick leave at a lower rate than “normal hourly compensation.” Excluding shift differentials or non-discretionary bonuses is the most common error.
• Forcing a worker to find a replacement before taking sick leave. This practice is expressly banned and creates a private cause of action.
• Treating independent contractors as ineligible for PFML without checking elective coverage. Contractors who opted in can file benefit claims, and misclassification can trigger back-premiums.

Do’s and Don’ts for Washington Employers

The rules below summarize best practices drawn from L&I employer guidance and ESD’s PFML employer toolkit.

Do’s:

• Do publish a written PTO policy and distribute it at hire, because written policies control in wage disputes.
• Do track accrual in the same increments used for payroll, because mismatched tracking causes underpayment findings.
• Do provide monthly pay-stub notices of sick leave balances under WAC 296-128-660, because missing notices support employee claims.
• Do keep sick leave records for at least three years, because the L&I statute of limitations runs that long.
• Do train managers on PFML and sick leave interaction, because front-line misinformation creates most retaliation claims.

Don’ts:

• Don’t require a doctor’s note for absences of three days or less, because it is a per-se violation of state rules.
• Don’t impose a probationary period before sick leave can be used beyond the statutory 90 days, because use must begin on the 91st day regardless of tenure.
• Don’t retaliate against workers who file PFML claims, because retaliation carries personal liability for supervisors under RCW 50A.40.010.
• Don’t combine vacation and sick leave without understanding the trap, because the combined bucket must meet the higher of either standard.
• Don’t deduct from a worker’s last paycheck without written authorization dated after the obligation arose, because prior blanket authorizations are invalid.

Pros and Cons of Offering Generous PTO Policies

Many Washington employers debate whether to offer PTO above the legal floor. Each approach carries trade-offs.

Pros:

• Better recruitment and retention, because Washington’s tight labor market rewards strong benefits packages.
• Lower unplanned absenteeism, because workers who feel secure taking leave recover faster and return focused.
• Simplified administration under a unified PTO bucket, because one balance is easier to track than separate leave categories.
• Competitive advantage in union-heavy sectors, because strong PTO mirrors union contracts and reduces organizing pressure.
• Tax efficiency when paired with a voluntary plan, because some expenses are deductible under federal business-expense rules.

Cons:

• Higher wage liability at termination, because generous PTO banks become large payouts.
• Administrative complexity with PFML interaction, because stacking rules are complicated and audit-prone.
• Risk of “ghost accruals” in combined PTO plans, because sick leave protections persist even when the bucket is empty.
• Potential exposure to Seattle PSST tier upgrades, because adding workers across the 50- and 250-employee thresholds triggers new obligations.
• Harder policy changes later, because reducing benefits can trigger constructive-discharge or promissory-estoppel claims.

Key Entities in Washington PTO Enforcement

The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) enforces paid sick leave, minimum wage, and final-paycheck rules. L&I can investigate complaints, issue citations, and order back pay. L&I’s authority is codified in RCW 49.46 and RCW 49.48.

The Employment Security Department (ESD) runs PFML and WA Cares. ESD collects premiums, processes claims, and decides eligibility. Appeals go first to an ESD administrative law judge and then to the Office of Administrative Hearings.

The Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) enforces the Washington Law Against Discrimination, which intersects with PTO when denials are based on protected class status. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards enforces PSST, wage theft, and secure scheduling. The Tacoma Office of Equity and Human Rights enforces local sick leave and wage rules.

Recapping Key Washington PTO Rulings

Washington appellate courts have shaped the PTO landscape through several influential decisions. In Failla v. FixtureOne Corp., the Washington Supreme Court confirmed that employers who willfully withhold final wages, including promised PTO payout, face double damages under RCW 49.52.070. The consequence for employers is that any close call on final-check accuracy should resolve in the employee’s favor.

In Flower v. T.R.A. Industries, the court held that an employee handbook’s PTO terms become an enforceable contract once the employee performs work in reliance. The consequence is that “at-will” disclaimers in handbooks do not override specific PTO accrual promises.

A common misconception is that federal ERISA preemption shields vacation payout disputes from state law. It does not, because most vacation and PTO plans are exempt from ERISA as “payroll practices” under 29 CFR 2510.3-1(b). Another misconception is that arbitration clauses in handbooks waive all PTO claims. Washington courts scrutinize such clauses under the McKee v. AT&T Corp. framework for unconscionability.

Processes and Forms for Washington PTO

Filing a paid sick leave or PTO wage complaint starts with L&I’s Workplace Rights Complaint Form F700-200-000. The form requires the worker’s contact information, employer details, a narrative of the violation, and supporting documents like pay stubs or policy handbooks. Missing any of these elements delays investigation and can cause the statute of limitations to run.

Filing a PFML claim starts at the paidleave.wa.gov application portal. Workers complete the application, upload medical certification if applicable, and designate how to receive benefits. The consequence of incomplete paperwork is benefit delay, though workers can appeal any denial within 30 days.

Employers report wages quarterly through ESD’s SecureAccess Washington (SAW) portal. The wage report must include every employee’s name, Social Security number, hours worked, and gross wages. Errors on the wage report propagate into PFML eligibility determinations, so accuracy is critical. A named example: Priscilla, an HR director in Everett, discovers a wage-report error that caused an employee’s PFML claim to be denied. She can file a corrected report through the SAW portal, and ESD will re-determine eligibility retroactively.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is PTO required by law in Washington State?

No. Washington does not require private employers to offer vacation or general PTO. However, paid sick leave and PFML are mandatory under RCW 49.46.210 and RCW Title 50A.

Does Washington require PTO payout at termination?

No. Washington does not mandate vacation or PTO payout at separation unless the employer’s written policy or a union contract requires it. Once promised, however, it is enforceable as wages.

Can my employer have a “use-it-or-lose-it” vacation policy?

Yes. Washington allows use-it-or-lose-it policies if communicated in writing before the accrual period and applied evenly. Retroactive forfeiture is not allowed and triggers wage claims.

Do part-time workers get paid sick leave in Washington?

Yes. All non-exempt employees, including part-time, temporary, and seasonal workers, accrue paid sick leave at one hour per 40 hours worked from day one of employment.

Can my employer require a doctor’s note for sick leave?

No. Employers cannot require verification unless the absence exceeds three consecutive scheduled workdays, and the employer must notify workers of documentation rules in writing in advance.

Does Washington PFML cover part-time and gig workers?

Yes. Any worker with 820 qualifying hours in Washington in the qualifying period is eligible, and self-employed workers can opt in through ESD elective coverage.

Can I use paid sick leave to care for a grandparent?

Yes. Washington’s sick leave law expressly includes grandparents, grandchildren, siblings, parents-in-law, and registered domestic partners in its family-care definition.

Does PFML run concurrently with federal FMLA?

Yes. Employers can designate PFML and FMLA as concurrent when the leave qualifies under both, but PFML provides the wage replacement and FMLA provides the job-protection framework.

Can my employer retaliate for using sick leave?

No. Retaliation, including discipline, demotion, or termination, for using protected sick leave violates RCW 49.46.100 and creates a private cause of action.

Does my unused paid sick leave have to be paid out when I quit?

No. Unused sick leave does not have to be paid out at separation unless combined into a single PTO bucket with vacation, which triggers payout if the policy promises it.

What happens if I am rehired within 12 months?

Yes, employers must reinstate any unused paid sick leave accrued at the prior employment if the rehire occurs within 12 months under WAC 296-128-725.

Can I stack PFML with my employer’s paid parental leave?

Yes. Washington law allows “supplemental benefits” on top of PFML, and the employer cannot reduce PFML benefits to offset supplemental pay, under RCW 50A.15.020.

Are Seattle workers covered by city sick leave rules in addition to state?

Yes. Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time ordinance provides tiered accrual for larger employers, and workers performing more than 240 hours within city limits per year are covered.