Updated 4/20/20 4pm
If you’re sick or in a high-risk category for becoming sick, there are a few options available to you.
Pandemic unemployment assistance
If you are sick and unable to work, the CARES Act, passed at the federal level on 3/27, creates a new form of unemployment called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. PUA is designed to cover lost income that’s a result of the crisis and includes coverage for those who cannot work because they are sick with Covid-19 and unable to work or need to care for a sick family member.
Visit out main resources page for detailed info on PUA and how to apply.
Paid sick time
If you are still working, the first option in most cases is accessing your employer-paid paid sick time or PTO. Your employer is required to pay sick time to you as long as you are an employee in WA state, regardless of your immigration status or other factors. Many workers don’t have enough hours accrued to cover their needs during this crisis, but if you do have hours accrued, you should be able to use them in most situations related to your health or a family member’s health.
Your employer isn’t legally allowed to ask you for a doctor’s note or other documentation unless you call out for more than three days in a row. Under current emergency rules in Seattle, your employer cannot ask for a doctor’s note or documentation at all until further notice. You should be able to use sick time if you:
Are sick (whether or not you have been diagnosed).
Have a medical appointment or need to go to the hospital.
Have been personally advised to quarantine by a medical professional or public health official due to exposure to COVID-19.
Have been personally advised to self-isolate by a medical professional due being at high risk of contracting COVID-19. (Note: this is on a case-by-case basis.)
Have had your workplace shut down temporarily due to a quarantine by a public health official. (Also see notes on what to do if you’ve been laid off or had your hours reduced — unemployment may be your best option in this scenario.)
HIGH-RISK WORKERS
If you are still working and are a high-risk worker - that is, over the age of 65 or have underlying medical conditions - you can protect your health without risking your job or losing income. Your employer must provide alternative work accommodations, or if that is not possible, allow you to take any accrued paid leave you have. You must also be allowed to retain your health insurance during this time. Contact us (see info below) if you are high-risk and are struggling to get alternative work accommodation.
Paid family & medical leave
For serious illness that requires more time off than what you have accrued, our state’s Paid Family & Medical Leave program may be an option. This is a state insurance program, not a benefit provided by your employer, and it provides partial wage replacement for workers who need to take extended leave. The program should cover up to 12 weeks of leave if you are an employee who:
Needs to take time off due to serious illness.
Needs to take time off to care for a seriously ill family member.
You can apply for Paid Family & Medical Leave here or check out the PFML program’s page on how the program applies during the coronavirus crisis here. There’s currently a substantial backlog in paying benefits for Paid Family & Medical leave, so processing your application may take some time.
If you are self-employed or an independent contractor, you can access Paid Family & Medical Leave by opting in to pay premiums (0.25% of your income).
What if you don’t have enough sick time?
Many workers may not have enough (or any) sick time accrued to cover illness or the need to self-isolate during this crisis, and also be ineligible for the PFML program. As we move forward, we’ll be pushing to ensure more workers — including independent contractors — are able to access the sick time they need.
Under new emergency rules, there are some situations where you may be able to apply for unemployment if you are unable to work for health-related reasons — see ESD’s chart on what situations may apply here.
