Advance payments—Grounds for payment
Seattle Mun. Code § 5.24.040
in effect5.24.040 - Advance payments—Grounds for payment
A. The City Attorney and the Director of Finance and Administrative Services are authorized to make periodic payments to a claimant pending settlement or other disposition of his or her claim equivalent to not more than the claimant's pre-injury net take-home pay if the City Attorney or the Director of Finance and Administrative Services finds the following conditions to exist:
1. The claimant has been physically disabled as a result of an act or omission by the City or its employees and agents and for which the City is legally obligated to respond in damages, which physical disability precludes the claimant from engaging in gainful employment;
2. The claimant's loss of employment results in financial hardship and the claimant is without alternate financial resources to provide for the necessary cost of living;
3. Circumstances exist which preclude the early settlement or other disposition of claimant's claim;
4. The best interest of the City and the claimant will be served by making such interim payments.
B. As a condition to commencing such payments, the City Attorney or the Director of Finance and Administrative Services shall secure from the claimant a written agreement that all payments made pursuant to this section shall be credited to the City against any settlement of the claim which may be arrived at, and shall be credited against any judgment which may be rendered against the City by reason of such claim in any court. The agreement may include such additional terms and conditions as the City Attorney or the Director of Finance and Administrative Services determines are appropriate to serve the best interests of the City.
C. In addition to the payments covering wage losses, the City Attorney or the Director of Finance and Administrative Services may, prior to settlement of the claimant's claim or prior to judgment, pay medical costs and provide necessary transportation and other expenses of treatment which the claimant may be required to pay; provided, that all such payments under this chapter shall cease at such time as the City Attorney or the Director of Finance and Administrative Services shall determine that one or more of the circumstances enumerated above have changed or that the total sum paid the claimant approximates the amount the claimant is likely to recover by reason of his or her injury.
(Ord. 123361, § 150, 2010 [department head name change and gender neutrality]; Ord. 120794, § 106, 2002 [department head name change]; Ord. 120521, § 4, 2001; Ord. 108657, § 4, 1979.)
Source: City of Seattle, Seattle Municipal Code and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/wa/seattle/codes/municipal_code?nodeId=TIT5REFITA_SUBTITLE_IGERE_CH5.24CLINDA_5.24.040ADPAROPAFetched: 11/1/2026