Paid sick leave—Use
Seattle Mun. Code ch. 4.24, subch. I, § 4.24.035
in effect4.24.035 - Paid sick leave—Use
A. An officer or employee is authorized to use paid sick leave for the following reasons:
1. An absence resulting from an employee's mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; to accommodate the employee's need for medical diagnosis, care, treatment of a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition, or preventive care; or as otherwise required by Chapter 14.16 and other applicable laws such as RCW 49.46.210; or
2. To allow the employee to provide care for a family member with a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition; or care for a family member who needs preventative medical care, or as otherwise required by Chapter 14.16 and other applicable laws such as RCW 49.46.210; or
3. When the employee or officer's place of business has been closed by order of a public official for any health-related reason, or when an employee's or officer's child's school or place of care has been closed for such reason, or as otherwise required by Chapter 14.16 and other applicable laws such as RCW 49.46.210.
4. Absences that qualify for leave under the Domestic Violence Leave Act, chapter 49.76 RCW.
B. An officer's or employee's request for paid sick leave may be granted by the appointing authority or a designated management representative when the officer or employee chooses to be absent from work for the:
1. Non-medical care of a newborn child of the officer or employee or the officer's or employee's spouse or domestic partner; or
2. Non-medical care of a dependent child placed with the officer or employee or the officer's or employee's spouse or domestic partner for purposes of adoption, including any time away from work prior to or following placement of the child to satisfy legal or regulatory requirements for the adoption.
Paid sick leave used for the purposes contemplated by this subsection 4.24.035.B must end before the first anniversary of the child's birth or placement.
C. An officer or employee may participate in City-sponsored blood drives as a non-compensated donor without deduction of pay or paid leave balances. Such participation will include the time required to travel from the work site to the blood drive location and return to the work site, and a reasonable recuperation period, but may not exceed three hours per occurrence.
D. 1.
Officers and regularly appointed employees shall be eligible for up to five workdays or 40 hours, whichever is less, of absence from their usual worksite without reduction in pay or use of paid leave to the extent their absence is medically necessary for the purpose of being a transplant donor, as that term is defined in this subsection. "Transplant donor" means a regularly appointed employee or officer who:
a. Voluntarily donates the officer's or employee's bone marrow, other tissue, or organ to a human recipient for whom that particular donation has been medically matched and determined to be uniquely suited or critical to a successful outcome in a medical procedure intended to save the recipient's life;
b. Receives no compensation and has no ability to direct any compensation to any other person or entity for the officer's or employee's donation or participation as a donor;
c. Provides to the officer's or employee's appointing authority reasonable advance written notice of the officer's or employee's need to be absent from the usual worksite as well as the reason for and expected duration of the absence;
d. Provides written documentation satisfactory to the officer's or employee's appointing authority from an accredited medical institution, organization, or individual of the need for the officer or employee to participate as a donor; and
e. Has not been a transplant donor under this subsection 4.24.035.D for a different medical procedure within the 12 months immediately preceding the date when the absence under this subsection 4.24.035.D would commence.
2. A transplant donor for whom an absence in excess of the time allowed in subsection 4.24.035.D.1 is documented as being medically necessary shall be eligible to use any appropriate available leave balance or take unpaid leave in accordance with existing City ordinances and rules.
3. No absence is authorized under this subsection 4.24.035.D for tests or for other pre-donation appointments.
(Ord. 125484, § 4, 2017; Ord. 124003, § 5, 2012; Ord. 123143, § 1, 2009; Ord. 123087, § 1, 2009; Ord. 121884 § 2, 2005; Ord. 121454 § 1, 2004; Ord. 121029 § 1(part), 2002; Ord. 120747 § 1, 2002; Ord. 117958 § 1, 1995; Ord. 114648 § 2, 1989; Ord. 112088 § 2, 1984.)
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=TIT4PE_CH4.24SILE_SUBCHAPTER_IGEPR_4.24.035PASILESEFetched: 11/1/2026