Nearly everyone will need to take time off work to recover from illness, care for a sick child, or take a loved one to the doctor. Some people may also need to take time away from work for a safety emergency, address legal or safety needs arising from domestic violence or sexual assault, or to attend or support a loved one with immigration proceedings.
Without expansive paid sick leave laws, people are forced to make difficult decisions, risking their well-being and the well-being of others, so they don’t miss out on pay. It’s unjust.
Since 2016, people across Washington state have been eligible to earn paid time off. In 2018, the Paid Sick and Safe Days law expanded to all workers in our state. Now, employers are required to provide you with paid sick leave. Learn more about how Washington’s Paid Sick and Safe Days law works.
Making Paid Sick and Safe Days More Equitable
2025 policy improvements: Paid Sick and Safe Days for immigration proceedings
Immigrant communities are in danger. Immigrants are being terrorized, kidnapped, and removed from their families. These incredibly stressful, emotional, and costly circumstances can be difficult to deal with. Before 2025, there were few options for workers who needed to support themselves or loved ones with immigration proceedings. People would have to miss work, further impacting their well-being and ability to provide for themselves and their families.
PSSD was expanded to cover paid time off for immigration proceedings. People can use their earned paid sick time to prepare for or participate in any judicial or administrative immigration proceeding, including meeting with an attorney or interpreter, addressing family separation, or attending court hearings involving the employee or the employee’s family member.
Additional improvements include expanding the Domestic Violence Act to include victims of hate crimes. Starting in 2026, employees experiencing a hate crime can use their earned paid sick and safe time to deal with assault, damage or destruction of property, or threat committed because of a person’s perception of another person’s specified characteristics, including race, gender, or religion.
2024 policy improvements: Expanding the definition of family
The definition of family in PSSD became more equitable and better aligned with Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act. This improvement recognizes that all families look different, especially in Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC), immigrant families, unmarried couples, and queer communities, who were often unfairly impacted by the Western traditional concept of family. PSSD now recognizes that families of all types can participate in caring for themselves or a loved one.
Washington Work and Family Coalition 