Leave and Holidays

Eligible staff receive generous paid and unpaid leave and several paid holidays to support a healthy work-life balance and attend to personal medical care.

Using and Requesting Leave

Leave is requested and approved through My Evergreen. Most common types include vacation, sick, shared and family medical leave.

If you have questions about leave, accrual or usage, review your Collective Bargaining Agreement, the Leave Procedures (PDF) or contact us.

See Suspended Operations for information about leave and pay during times when the college is closed for snow or other emergencies.

Visit the Help Wiki for Time and Leave System instructions.

Official Holidays

Paid holidays as provided by state law and collective bargaining agreements

2024 Official Holidays

HolidayDate
New Years Day 2024Monday, January 1, 2024
Martin Luther King Jr. Day 2024Monday, January 15, 2024
President's Day 2024Monday, February 19, 2024
Memorial Day 2024Monday, May 27, 2024
Juneteenth 2024Wednesday, June 19, 2024
Independence Day 2024Thursday, July 4, 2024
Labor Day 2024Monday, September 2, 2024
Veterans' Day 2024Monday, November 11, 2024
Thanksgiving Day 2024Thursday, November 28, 2024
Native American Heritage Day 2024Friday, November 29, 2024
Christmas Day 2024Wednesday, December 25, 2024

2025 Official Holidays

HolidayDate
New Years Day 2025Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Martin Luther King Jr Day 2025Monday, January 20, 2025
President’s Day 2025Monday, February 17, 2025
Memorial Day 2025Monday, May 26, 2025
Juneteenth 2025Thursday, June 19, 2025
Independence Day 2025Friday, July 4, 2025
Labor Day 2025Monday, September 1, 2025
Veterans Day 2025Tuesday, November 11, 2025
Thanksgiving Day 2025Thursday, November 27, 2025
Native American Heritage Day 2025Friday, November 28, 2025
Christmas Day 2025Thursday, December 25, 2025

Types of Leave

Details about types of leave available

Vacation Leave

Classified employees earn vacation leave per eligible month, from the first month of employment.

Exempt employees earn vacation leave per eligible month, from the first month of employment.

Accrual rates

Exempt employees earn 16 hours, 40 minutes (16.67) of vacation leave per month (prorated for part-time employees).

Classified employees earn vacation time as described in the Article 11 of the classified staff Collective Bargaining Agreement. For vacation leave accrual rate schedule see current Classified Collective Bargaining Agreement Article 11.4.

If you have prior Washington state agency or public higher education service, please contact us for details on how this will add to your vacation leave benefit.

Vacation Leave Maximum

A maximum of 35 working days (280 hours) of vacation may be accumulated. If not used, hours over 280 are lost on the anniversary date.

Procedure for Deducting or Extending Leave in Excess of 280 Hours of Vacation Leave (Word)

Sick Leave

Full-time classified and exempt staff earn eight hours of sick leave each eligible month (prorated for part-time).

Sick leave may be used for:

  • Illness, injury, or preventive health care
  • Exposure to a contagious disease that might endanger others
  • Disability due to pregnancy or childbirth
  • Illness, injury, or death of relatives

Shared Leave

A person may request shared leave for medical reasons that are extraordinary or severe in nature (confirmed by a medical provider); for pregnancy disability or for the purpose of parental leave to bond with newborn, adoptive, or foster child; if the employee has been called for military service (usually active duty); or if the person is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Contact us to find out if your situation is eligible.

Family Medical Leave

The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitles eligible employees to take protected leave for up to 12 workweeks in a 12-month period for specified family and medical reasons (examples may include adoption or foster care placement, maternity or paternity, serious health condition, military exigency or deployment). FMLA also provides 26 workweeks of protected leave during a single 12-month period to care for a covered service member with a serious injury or illness if the eligible employee is the service member’s spouse, child, parent, or next of kin. In either case, the eligible employee continues to be covered by their Evergreen-sponsored health insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if the employee had not taken leave.

FMLA Policy

Personal Holiday & Personal Leave Day

Classified and Exempt employees receive one Personal Holiday each calendar year which may be used after four months of continuous state employment. The Personal Holiday is to be used on or before December 31 of each calendar year.

Classified and Exempt employees receive one Personal Leave Day each fiscal year which may be used after four months of continuous employment with the college. The Personal Leave Day is to be used on or before June 30 of each year.

Compensatory Leave

An overtime eligible employee with a compensatory leave (comp time) balance must use it prior to using vacation leave, unless this would result in the loss of their vacation leave (280 max balance) or the employee is using vacation leave for Domestic Violence Leave.

Leave Without Pay

Leave Without Pay (LWOP) for an employee requesting time away from work who does not have a leave balance may request the use of LWOP, subject to supervisor approval.

Administrative Leave

Supervisors will use the Administrative Leave designation when an employee has been placed on a paid Administrative Leave from work.

Bereavement Leave

Up to three (3) days of paid Bereavement Leave will be granted for the death of any family member or household member that requires the employee's absence from work. See current CBA's for definition of family member and complete bereavement leave rules, for non-represented employees WAC 357-31-250, RCW41.06.

Civil/Jury Leave

Leave of absence with pay will be granted to employees for jury duty. An employee will be allowed to retain any compensation paid to the employee for their jury duty service. An employee will inform their supervisor when notified of a jury summons and will cooperate in requesting a postponement of service if warranted by business demands.  If an employee is released from jury duty and there are more than (2) hours remaining within their core hours of work, the employee shall return to work.

Cyclic Leave Without Pay

Cyclic Leave Without Pay (LWOP) is for employees filling a cyclic year appointment the use of Cyclic LWOP is for scheduled periods when the employee is off work in the ensuing cycle.

Educational Release Time

Employees will be approved for the lesser of ten percent (10%) or four (4) hours of time worked each week to attend classes, scheduled programs, or conferences with faculty that are not available at other times.  While every effort will be made to accommodate an employee's request, these hours may be restricted for business needs.

Faith/Conscience Leave Without Pay

Leave without pay will be granted for a reason of faith or conscience for up to two (2) workdays per calendar year.  See current CBA's for faith/conscience LWOP rules, and for non-represented employees WAC 357-31-052 RCW 1.16.050.

Furlough Leave Without Pay

Furlough LWOP may be applicable in connection with reduction in force.  See current CBA's for complete Voluntary Layoff, Leave of Absence or Reduction in Hour rules, for classified non-represented employees Layoff Procedure for classified, non-represented staff.

Holiday Credit

When a paid holiday falls on a full or part-time employees regularly scheduled day off, the employee will use the Holiday Credit leave type to report the alternate holiday taken in the same work week if the number of hours in the shift on the day approved as the alternate holiday are more than the number of hours credited on the regular holiday. The Holiday Credit leave type is used to report the difference in hours between the two shifts.

Life Giving Leave

Employees will be granted paid leave, not to exceed two (2) hours per incident, as needed for the purpose of participating in life giving procedures.

Military Leave

In addition to twenty-one (21) working days of paid leave granted to employees for active duty or active duty training, unpaid military leave will be granted in accordance with RCW 38.40.060 and applicable federal law. Employees on military leave will be reinstated as provided in RCW 73.16 and applicable federal law.

Master Agreement Negotiation Paid Leave

The Employer will approve paid release time for up to ten (10) days of formal negotiations for designated employees.

Master Agreement Training Leave

Union stewards will be released with pay on one (1) occasion for up to four (4) hours to attend master agreement training.

Union Paid Release

Shop stewards and union members will be granted reasonable amounts of Paid Release Time in accordance with the current CBA's.

Suspension Leave

Supervisors will use the Suspension Leave type when an employee has been placed on an unpaid suspension from work.