An employee should request medical leave approximately 30 days prior to their expected leave or as soon as possible if 30 days notice cannot be given. It is necessary that an employee apply if they will be off work for more than 3 days due to their own serious medical condition or that of an immediate family member.

To request medical leave an employee would complete and submit the Employee Request form and Health Care Provider Statement.  Medical documentation should not be submitted to an employee's department. Instead all medical leave requests and documentation should be submitted to WSU Human Resource Services. 

In accordance with WSU policy, when an employee is off work for medical reasons they need to officially request leave through WSU Human Resource Services.  Having accrued leave allows an employee to remain in a paid status during their period of medical leave.

If you do not have enough accrued leave for the duration  of your medical leave:

• you would request Leave without Pay (LWOP). 
• you can request Shared Leave which would allow other employees to donate their accrued leave to you.  In order to qualify for Shared Leave an employee must be suffering from, or have a relative or household member suffering from an extraordinary or severe illness or injury.  Extraordinary or severe illness or injury is defined as a serious or extreme and/or life threatening injury or illness which prevents an employee from working for at least 5 working days.  If approved, Shared Leave is based on donations and can only be granted up until your Long Term Disability waiting period.  For additional information and/or questions please contact WSU Human Resource Services at 509-335-4521.

Under Family Medical Leave (FML) an employee maintains their insurance eligibility, provided they continue to pay their portion of the premiums.  Employees are still responsible for paying the employee portion of the insurance premiums normally deducted from your paycheck.  In the event that your WSU issued paycheck is insufficient to cover your portion of the insurance premiums, Payroll Services will send you a bill for the difference. 

NOTE: Failure to pay your portion of the premium could result in cancellation of your insurance coverage(s).

Employee's must have submitted information from their health care provider releasing them to work.  WSU cannot allow you to return to work without the release of your health care provider.  Therefore prior to your return you MUST submit a release to WSU Human Resource Services.

If an employee is not on FML and on full leave without pay they will no longer be eligible for employer paid benefits, and have to maintain coverage by self paying the full premium.

Family medical leave can be taken on an intermittent, part time, or full time basis if HRS receives medical documentation from your health care provider supporting such leave.

To do any work from home you must be:

• released by your medical provider. If so, you MUST submit a release to WSU Human Resource Services.  Your medical provider should specify any limitations you may have.

AND

• if released by your health care provider, the decision as to what, if any work can be performed at home is a determination your department and appointing authority will make.  If there is not work that can be performed while at home your leave will be full time.  If approved to work from home you should contact your supervisor for the assignment/monitoring of duties.

With sufficient medical certification, WSU Human Resource Services is able to grant one additional month of leave beyond a period of FML in which the employee can use 8 hours of accrued leave to maintain their employer paid benefits. Any leave needed beyond this additional month must be requested as a Reasonable Accommodation. Extended medical leave as a Reasonable Accommodation is discussed with the appointing authority of your department to determine the status of your leave.

All medical notes and information should be submitted to WSU Human Resource Services (HRS) and should not be retained at the departmental level.  If you receive any medical information please forward immediately to HRS. Upon receipt of any information regarding an employees leave, return to work, or limitations HRS will send notification to the employees supervisor/department.