Eligible faculty may take paid time off to care for a sick family member (see description of covered family members and leave reasons under "Qualifying Leave Reasons" and "Definitions"). The following is a summary of both the University's and the employee's rights and obligations under the Family Care policy.

In order to be eligible for paid leave under the Family Care policy, faculty must be classified as a regular employee at .5 FTE or above.

According to the Faculty Handbook Sections 9.1.3.2, 13.1 and 13.1.2, faculty members who experience personal illness or "some other emergency reason" are allowed up to five business days of paid time off. This period of time off is considered "other paid time off" under the Washington Family Care Rules and is subject to its provisions.

Family medical leave allows eligible employees to take up to twelve weeks of unpaid time off for specified family and medical reasons. Family medical leave may run concurrent with paid time off that is taken for Family Care. Please see the University's Family Medical Leave policy for further information.

A leave is qualified (see "Definitions" below for additional information) when an employee is required to care for a child of the employee with a health condition or a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent of the employee who has a serious health condition or emergency condition.

Emergency condition: A health condition that is a sudden, generally unexpected occurrence or set of circumstances related to one's health demanding immediate action, and is typically very short term in nature.

Health Condition That Requires Treatment or Supervision:

(a) Any medical condition requiring treatment or medication that the child cannot self-administer;

(b) Any medical or mental health condition that would endanger the child's safety or recovery without the presence of a parent or guardian; or

(c) Any condition warranting treatment or preventive health care such as physical, dental, optical or immunization services, when a parent must be present to authorize and when sick leave may otherwise be used for the employee's preventive health care.

Incapable of self-care: When the individual requires active assistance or supervision to provide daily self-care in several of the "activities of daily living" (ADL) or "instrumental activities of daily living" (IADL). Activities of daily living include adaptive activities such as caring appropriately for one's grooming and hygiene, bathing, dressing and eating. Instrumental activities of daily living include cooking, cleaning, shopping, taking public transportation, paying bills, maintaining a residence, using telephones and directories, using a post office, etc.

Physical or mental disability: means a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more activities of daily living or instrumental activities of daily living.

Serious Health Condition: An illness, injury, impairment, or physical or mental condition that involves any period of incapacity or treatment connected with inpatient care (i.e., an overnight stay) in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility, and any period of incapacity or subsequent treatment or recovery in connection with such inpatient care; or that involves continuing treatment by or under the supervision of a health care provider or a provider of health care services and which includes any period of incapacity (i.e., inability to work, attend school or perform other regular daily activities).

Child: A biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is under 18 years of age or 18 years of age or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.

Grandparent: A parent of a parent of an employee.

Parent: The biological parent of an employee or an individual who stands or stood in loco parentis to an employee when the employee was a child.

Parent-In-Law: A parent of the spouse of an employee.

Spouse: A husband or wife.

Medical certification from a health care provider may be required in order to determine the applicability of this policy. Failure to provide such certification may result in the non payment of Family Care leave.

A poster has been placed in the Office of Human Resources which includes further details regarding eligibility and other requirements of the law. Additional information can be obtained by contacting the Office of Human Resources.