Leave Due to Serious Health Condition

Clark College offers a variety of leave provisions for employees who need to be off work due to their own medical condition or a family member's medical condition.

Family and Medical Leave Act (FML)

Under the Family and Medical Leave Act, employees may be eligible for up to 12 weeks of unpaid protected leave in a 12 month rolling year when the leave is taken for purpose of:

• The birth of a son or daughter or placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care
• The care for an immediate family member (spouse, child, or parent) with a serious health condition
• To take medical leave when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition
• Any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that a spouse, son, daughter, or parent is a military member on covered active duty or call to covered active duty status

The 12 month rolling year is measured beginning the date the proposed FML leave begins

Eligibility

An eligible employee will need to have worked for the State of Washington for at least 12 months and worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months immediately preceding their period of leave.

Use of Accrued Leave

FML is unpaid leave. You must, however, use all accrued paid leave while on FML prior to taking unpaid leave.

Benefits While on Leave

Employer paid medical benefits will remain effective during the FML period as long as the employee pays their monthly employee premiums.

To Apply

To apply for FML, the employee completes the Employee Leave Request form and the health care provider completes the Health Care Provider Statement. Both forms are available on the forms page. Return both forms to Human Resources. Upon receipt of the forms, HR will determine the employee's eligibility for FML as well as other Federal, State, College medical leave provisions. When the leave is foreseeable, the forms should be returned 30-days prior to the start of the medical leave. 

Please note, in some circumstances Clark College cannot allow an employee to return to work from a period of medical leave without the release of their Health Care Provider. Prior to an employee's return to work they should complete and submit a return to Work Assessment/Return to Work Form available on the forms page. 

Questions? Contact one of our HR Benefits Consultants at 360-992-2105.

Family Care Leave (FCL)

Under the Washington State Family Care Act (RCW 49.12.270), employees are eligible to use available sick leave and other paid leave as Family Care Leave (FCL). This leave is generally used when an employee is not eligible for FML or their family member does not qualify under FML. Under the law, an employee is entitled to use any or all of their choice of sick or other paid leave to care for a sick child with a routine illness; a spouse, parent, parent-in-law, or grandparent with a serious or emergency health condition; and an adult child with a disability.

Eligibility

All permanent Clark College employees are eligible for FCL.

Use of Accrued Leave

Employees may use accrued sick leave, annual leave, compensatory time, or personal holiday. An employee may not use Leave Without Pay under this provision. Leave may be taken on a full-time, part-time, or intermittent basis.

To Apply

To apply y for FCl, the employee completes the Employee Leave Request form and the health care provider completes the Health Care Provider Statement. Both forms are available on the forms page. Return both forms to Human Resources. Upon receipt of the forms, HR will determine the employee's eligibility for FCL. When possible, the forms should be returned 30-days prior to the start of the medical leave.

Resources

• Washington Family Care Act
• Family Care Rules, WAC 296-130

Questions? Contact one of our HR Benefits Consultants at 360-992-2105.