Washington paid sick leave

In effect since January 1, 2018

1 hour for every 40 hours worked

All employers must provide paid sick leave.

Accrual	1 hour for every 40 hours worked
Who must provide it	All employers
Waiting period	Leave can be used from 90 calendar days after the first day of work.
Carryover	Unused balances of 40 hours or less must carry over.
Payout when employment ends	Not required (certain construction workers must be paid their balance)
Covered uses	Employee's or family member's illness, injury, health condition, diagnosis or preventive care; domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking needs; public health closures; since July 27, 2025, judicial or administrative immigration proceedings

Local sick leave laws in Washington

These places have their own ordinance. Employers there follow whichever rule is more generous.

Seattle: Tier 1 (1-49 FTEs) and Tier 2 (50-249 FTEs): 1 hour per 40 hours worked. Tier 3 (250+ FTEs): 1 hour per 30.
Tacoma: 1 hour for every 40 hours worked in Tacoma

Details and exceptions

Immigration-proceeding use took effect July 27, 2025.
Seattle and Tacoma have their own ordinances.

Law: RCW 49.46.210

Running payroll in Washington?

Recent changes

Last verified against the official source on October 9, 2026.

No changes recorded since we started tracking this page.

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Sources

Washington State Department of Labor & Industries · data as of October 8, 2026 · last checked October 9, 2026

We copy figures from official sources and re-check them against the source before every update. See our methodology. This is general information, not legal advice.