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When can a parent take leave for pregnancy or for a new child?
- Who can take
leave to care for a new child, and how much can they take?
A parent can take up to 12 weeks of paid or unpaid leave (depending on the employer) to care for a newborn, adopted, or foster child if she/he:
- Works for a business with 50 or more employees.
- Has worked at least 12 months for that business for a total of
at least 1,250 hours in the preceding year.
For more detail, see
the federal Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) or contact 1-866-487-9243.
- Does a parent
get PAID leave while taking time off to care for a new
child?
Neither Washington State nor federal laws
require that parents get paid leave while taking
time off to care for a new child.
- What rights do you have for time off for pregnancy?
The answer depends on how many workers the woman's employer has. If the woman's employer has:
- Fewer than 8 employees, she is not guaranteed
a job when she is able to return to work.
See information on the Washington
State Human Rights Commission.
- 8 or more employees, she
is allowed maternity disability leave and is entitled to return
to work when released by her health care provider. The disability
leave is based on her individual condition and may include all
the time her health care provider determines she is unable to
work. For more information on maternity disability, see the Washington
State Human Rights Commission web site, or contact 1-800-233-3247.
- 50 or more employees - The Washington
State Family Leave Act (FLA) provices pregnant women more
time off in addition to the 12 weeks of leave under the federal
Family
and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The qualifications for the
state FLA and FMLA applies to an employer with 50 or
more employees within a 75-mile radius; an employee is eligible
if they have worked at least 1,250 hours over the past 12 months.
Under the Washington State Family Leave Act (FLA), she is entitled to
time off for any disability due to pregnancy and childbirth,
which includes the post-partum recovery period determined by
her healthcare provider,
in addition to the 12 weeks of leave under the
state FLA or federal
FMLA.
If she has not worked long enough to qualify for the FMLA
but works for an employer with 8 or more employees, she is still
entitled to pregnancy disability leave under the Human
Rights Commission until she is released to return to work
by her health care provider. See Family
Leave Act - Frequently Asked Questions.
Download and print these helpful documents:
Family
Leave Act - Frequently Asked Questions (122
KB PDF).
Table
of Family Care and Family Leave Laws (131
KB PDF) -
Provides a comparison of state and federal laws regarding leave for
pregnancy and other family care issues.
Get a list of workplace posters required and recommended by not only L&I but other state of Washington or federal agencies as well. (F101-054-000)
Get Help Downloading Files.