WashingtonShared leave rules would cover hate crime and immigration absences
Starting June 11, 2026, eligible state workers could receive donated leave when a hate crime or immigration enforcement action keeps them from work.
What it does
Employees who are victims of a hate crime could receive donated leave when the crime causes, or may cause, unpaid leave or loss of state employment.
Eligible employees could receive donated leave when immigration enforcement involving themselves or close household members keeps them from work, with privacy protections for any verification.
Argument forDonated leave could help workers stay employed when a hate crime or immigration enforcement action forces them to miss work and use their own leave.
Argument againstBecause agency heads may permit leave rather than must approve it, similarly affected workers might not receive the same help across agencies.
More detail
An agency head may allow an employee to receive donated shared leave after a hate crime. This covers state employees, including school district and educational service district employees, who earn sick or annual leave and keep accurate leave records. The hate crime must cause, or likely cause, the employee to take unpaid leave or leave state employment. The employee's absence and use of shared leave must be justified. The employee must have used up, or be about to use up, annual leave. The employee must follow agency rules for using sick leave. The measure is listed as effective June 11, 2026; this eligibility applies on or after that date.
An agency head may allow an employee to receive donated shared leave when an immigration enforcement action keeps the employee from work. This covers an employee who is legally authorized to work in the United States and whose absence involves the employee, a relative, or a household member. The absence must result from an immigration enforcement action, such as detention, an immigration proceeding, deportation, or family-separation hardship. The action must cause, or likely cause, unpaid leave or loss of state employment. The employee must have used up, or be about to use up, annual and sick leave, and must follow agency sick-leave rules. An employer may request verification but is not required to do so. If requested, the employer must accept certain professional documentation or the employee's written statement and must protect immigration-status information, subject to legal disclosure requirements. The measure is listed as effective June 11, 2026; this eligibility applies on or after that date.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Mar 30Effective date 6/11/2026.Latest
- Mar 30Chapter 241, 2026 Laws.Major
- Mar 30Governor Bob Ferguson signed.Became Law
- Mar 10Delivered to Governor.To Governor
- Mar 9President signed.Passed Senate
- Mar 6Speaker signed.Passed House
- Mar 5Third reading, passed; yeas, 30; nays, 19; absent, 0; excused, 0.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#8). Result: pass.Upper
- Mar 5Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Mar 3Placed on second reading by Rules Committee.Minor
- Feb 25Passed to Rules Committee for second reading.
- Feb 24Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Feb 24SGTE - Majority; do pass.Minor
- Feb 24Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 1:30 PM.
- Feb 16Public hearing in the Senate Committee on State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections at 8:30 AM.
- Feb 2First reading, referred to State Government, Tribal Affairs & Elections.Minor
- Jan 29Third reading, passed; yeas, 60; nays, 36; absent, 0; excused, 2.Minor
- Vote recorded 3rd Reading & Final Passage (#7). Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Rules suspended. Placed on Third Reading.Minor
- Jan 291st substitute bill substituted (SGOV 26).Major
- Jan 27Rules Committee relieved of further consideration. Placed on second reading.Minor
- Jan 20Referred to Rules 2 Review.Minor
- Jan 16Minority; do not pass.Minor
- Jan 16SGOV - Majority; 1st substitute bill be substituted, do pass.Major
- Jan 16Executive action taken in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 8:00 AM.
- Jan 13Public hearing in the House Committee on State Government & Tribal Relations at 1:30 PM.
- Jan 13First reading, referred to State Government & Tribal Relations.Introduced
Economy & JobsCivil Rights & VotingEmergency Management