effective. However, the Company is not required to grant specific requests and may provide an alternative accommodation that can be made without imposing an undue hardship on the Company. The Company will not discriminate or retaliate against employees who are victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, or hate crimes or who request accommodations in accordance with this policy. Benefits Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program is a mandatory statewide insurance program that provides most employees in Washington with paid time off to give or receive care. Eligible employees are entitled to partial wage replacement benefits of up to 90% of their weekly pay, depending on their income. The program is administered by the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) and is funded by premiums paid by both employees (through payroll deductions) and employers. Eligibility To be eligible for PFML, you must: Have worked at least 820 hours (or about 16 hours a week) in Washington during the qualifying period. The 820 hours are cumulative, regardless of the number of employers or jobs you have had during the year. All paid work in Washington over the course of the year counts toward the 820 hours, including part-time, seasonal, and temporary work. Experience a qualifying event. If you are not eligible for PFML, you may still qualify for leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Qualifying Events You may take PFML for the following reasons: Family leave to: o Bond with your newborn child, newly adopted child, or newly placed foster child (bonding leave); o Care for a family member with a serious health condition; o Prepare for a family member’s pre- and post-deployment activities, as well as time for childcare issues related to the family member’s deployment; or o Deal with the death of a newborn or newly adopted/fostered child (bereavement leave). Medical leave to care for your own serious health condition. Usage Eligible employees may generally take up to 12 weeks of PFML per year. If you have more than one qualifying event in the same year, you may be eligible to take up to 16 weeks of PFML. Combined leave cannot exceed 16 total weeks unless there is a serious, incapacitating health issue related to pregnancy, which adds two more weeks (18 weeks total). Bonding leave must be taken during the first 12 months after the child’s birth or placement. Bereavement leave must be used within seven calendar days of the child’s death. During the first six weeks after the birth of a child, any PFML used based on incapacity due to pregnancy or for prenatal care will count as paid medical leave by default, unless you choose to use paid family leave during that period. PFML may be used intermittently rather than all at once.
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