Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Law Notice Revised

The revised Paid Sick and Safe Time notice warns employers from retaliating against employees.

Seattle established a Paid Sick and Safe Time in 2012 that allowed workers to take time off to care for themselves or family members. The Ordinance also includes provisions for workers to use the time to recover from or to treat their own or covered family members’ physical or mental illnesses, or for reasons related to domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

What Changed on the Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time Notice?

The Seattle Office for Civil Rights updated the Paid Sick and Safe Time notice to include explicit protections for employees who request or use paid sick and safe time. Retaliation also includes any adverse employment action against an employee who has filed a complaint regarding potential violations of the Ordinance.

Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time Accrual and Use

Eligible workers begin to accrue paid sick time and paid safe time at the start of their employment. They can begin to use the accrued time 180 days after they start work. The rate at which workers in Seattle accrue paid sick and safe time depends on the size of the business. Note that companies with four or fewer employers are not covered by the ordinance.

Seattle Required Labor Law Posters

The Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time notice is required to be displayed or provided to employees in both English and Spanish. To comply with the City’s Notice and Posting requirements (§14.16.050), employers can do any of the following:

• Display the notice in a conspicuous location in each establishment.
• Include the notice in an employee handbook or other written guidance to employees concerning employee benefits or leave rights
• Distribute a copy of the Notice to each new employee upon hiring.

The City allows for electronic distribution of this notice, making it an ideal candidate for the GovDocs Intranet Poster Program (ideal for companies with remote workers, by the way!).