POL-U5410.07 Accessing and Donating to State Shared Leave Pool

The Department of Children, Youth, and Families, in consultation with the Office of Financial Management (OFM) shall administer the Foster Parent Shared Leave Pool (FPSLP).

The military department, in consultation with OFM, shall administer the Uniformed Service Shared Leave Pool (USSLP) including making eligibility determinations. Western Washington University (WWU) ensures readily accessible information regarding procedures and access to the program

The Department of Veterans Affairs, in consultation with OFM, shall administer the Veterans’ In-state Service Shared Leave Pool (VISSLP). The Assistant Vice President of Human Resources ensures internal processes are established to ensure compliance with agency rules and that information regarding the availability of the program is made accessible to University employees.

Participation in the FPSLP, USSLP, and VISSLP must be voluntary on the part of the donating and receiving employees. WWU is required to permit an eligible employee to receive leave from the USSLP and VISLP.

FPSLP

An employee is eligible to receive shared leave from the FPSLP when there is leave available in the pool and all of the following conditions are met:

1. The employee is licensed as a foster parent and is caring for or preparing to care for a foster child (see definitions section for the definition of “caring for”),
2. The employee has depleted all compensatory time, personal holiday, and
3. The employee has depleted or will deplete all but forty hours of sick leave and forty hours of vacation.

USSLP

An employee is eligible to receive shared leave from the USSLP when there is leave available in the pool and the employee has met all of the following conditions:

1. Is called to service (voluntarily or involuntarily) in the armed services,
2. Has depleted or will shortly deplete their paid military leave, compensatory time, vacation leave, and personal holiday,
3. Has abided by Western’s rules regarding Military Leave, and
4. Has a monthly military salary that is less than their state monthly salary. However, up to eight hours per month may be used from the pool, to continue coverage under the Public Employees Benefit Board regardless of the employee’s monthly state salary and military salary.

VISSLP

An employee is eligible to receive shared leave from the VISSLP when there is leave available in the pool and the employee:

1. Is a veteran as defined in RCW 41.04.005 and is attending medical appointments or treatments for a service connected injury or disability, or
2. Is a spouse of a veteran, who requires assistance while attending medical appointments or treatments for a service connected injury or disability, and
3. Has depleted all accrued compensatory time, personal holiday, sick leave, and vacation leave.

Employees must provide documentation to be eligible to receive shared leave.

FPSLP

Proof of current foster parent license.

USSLP

1. Military department earnings statements verifying military salary and a copy of their orders of service, and
2. Employees must notify the military department of any changes to orders of service or military salary and shall submit updated copies of their earnings statements and orders of service when requested by the military department.

VISSLP

1. Veterans Affairs benefits summary letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and
2. Copy of DD Form 214 or a letter from command indicating the employee is a current member of the uniformed services and documentation verifying that:
   1. The employee is attending medical appointments or treatments for a service connected injury or disability including U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs compensation and pension examinations; or<
   2. The employee is a spouse of a veteran who requires assistance while attending medical appointments or treatments for a service connected injury or disability including U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs compensation and pension examinations.

An employee using shared leave under this policy continues to be classified as a state employee and receives the same treatment in respect to salary, wages, and employee benefits as the employee would normally receive if using accrued vacation leave or sick leave.

The following are situations when the amount of shared leave given to a recipient may be limited:

1. If it violates a rule or statute,
2. When the pool has an insufficient balance to fund the requested shared leave,
3. When the request is for preparing for acceptance of a foster child(ren), employees may receive up to five days of shared leave per occurrence from the FPSLP,
4. Employees may not receive more than five hundred twenty-two days of shared leave under the FPSLP during their total state employment, and
5. Shared leave received from the FPSLP, USSLP, and VISLP is not included in the 522 days total specified in RCW 41.04.665. For this purpose, eight hours shall constitute a day per RCW 49.28.010 unless otherwise required by statute, regulations, or employment contract.

Leave donated to the pools cannot be directed to a specific individual. Donations are pooled and withdrawn from the pool by eligible employees according to priorities established by the appropriate departments. Employees who donate must specify which pool they intend to donate to.

Upon approval by the appropriate Director/Dean and Vice President (or President when applicable):

1. Vacation leave may be donated if the amount will not cause their vacation leave balance of a full-time employee to fall below 80 hours after the transfer. For part-time employees, requirements for vacation leave balances are prorated.
2. Sick leave may be donated if the amount will not cause their sick leave balance to fall below 176 hours after the transfer.
3. All or part of a personal holiday may be donated.

Departments are financially responsible for the transfer of funds resulting from donations made by their employees. The amount of leave transferred to the pools must equal the donor’s dollar value of leave plus fringe benefits. Following Vice President (or President when applicable) approval, payment will be issued to the agency receiving the leave.

Student and temporary employees are not eligible to receive or donate shared leave.

Employees may not donate sick leave, vacation leave, or personal holidays that would otherwise be lost due to separation of employment.

Any alleged abuse of the shared leave pools will be investigated. On a finding of wrongdoing the employee may be required to repay all of the shared leave received from the pool.