ST51 Washington (December 2007; Updated August 2010)
1.18: USERRA and Other Laws
2.0: Paid Leave

Paid Military Leave for Public Employees in Washington

By Captain Samuel F. Wright, JAGC, USN (Ret.)

Washington law provides as follows concerning paid military leave for employees of the state and its political subdivisions:

“Every officer and employee of the state or of any county, city, or other political subdivision thereof who is a member of the Washington national guard or of the army, navy, air force, coast guard, or marine corps reserve of the United States, or of any organized reserve or armed forces of the United States shall be entitled to and shall be granted military leave of absence from such employment for a period not exceeding twenty-one days during each year beginning October 1st and ending the following September 30th. Such leave shall be granted in order that the person may report for active duty, when called, or take part in active training duty in such manner and at such time as he or she may be ordered to active duty or active training duty. Such military leave of absence shall be in addition to any vacation or sick leave to which the officer or employee might otherwise be entitled, and shall not involve any loss of efficiency rating, privileges, or pay. During the period of military leave, the officer or employee shall receive from the state, or the county, city, or other political subdivision, his or her normal pay.” (Revised Code of Washington, section 38.40.060.)

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