Service credit for paid leave of absence — Application to elected officials of labor organizations.
RCW 41.26.197
in effect*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL ) ***
(1) A member who is on a paid leave of absence authorized by a member's employer shall continue to receive service credit as provided under the provisions of RCW 41.26.080 through 41.26.3903 . (2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leave of absence to serve as an elected official of a labor organization, and whose employer is reimbursed by the labor organization for the compensation paid to the member during the period of absence, may also be considered to be on a paid leave of absence. This subsection shall only apply if the member's leave of absence is authorized by a collective bargaining agreement that provides that the member retains seniority rights with the employer during the period of leave. The basic salary reported for a member who establishes service credit under this subsection may not be greater than the salary paid to the highest paid job class covered by the collective bargaining agreement.
(1) A member who is on a paid leave of absence authorized by a member's employer shall continue to receive service credit as provided under the provisions of RCW 41.26.080 through 41.26.3903 .
(2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leave of absence to serve as an elected official of a labor organization, and whose employer is reimbursed by the labor organization for the compensation paid to the member during the period of absence, may also be considered to be on a paid leave of absence. This subsection shall only apply if the member's leave of absence is authorized by a collective bargaining agreement that provides that the member retains seniority rights with the employer during the period of leave. The basic salary reported for a member who establishes service credit under this subsection may not be greater than the salary paid to the highest paid job class covered by the collective bargaining agreement.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.26&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026