Uniformed Services Shared Leave Pool

1500.380 UNIFORMED SERVICE SHARED LEAVE POOL PROCEDURE

The uniformed service shared leave pool (USSLP) allows eligible Washington state employees who accrue leave to donate some of their leave to a pool where eligible co-workers or other state employees may receive leave from the pool if they will need to take leave without pay or separate from employment for the reasons listed below under "Receiving Leave.” Eligible state employees who donate leave to the pool are subject to the limitations defined below under “Donating Leave.” In addition to RCW 41.04.685 that creates and governs this pool, WAC 357-31-640 through WAC 357-31-725 provides USSLP guidance with respect to civil service employees who are not members of a bargaining unit. Employees who are members of a collective bargaining unit should refer to the applicable bargaining unit agreements regarding USSLP rules and procedures.

A. SHARED LEAVE PROGRAM

In addition to leave donations that employees make to or leave received from the uniformed service shared leave pool, eligible employees may request to donate leave directly to another employee or may request to receive shared leave hours through the Washington state shared leave program. More information can be found in WVC shared leave policy 500.375 and procedure 1500.375.

B. ADMINISTRATION

The uniformed service shared leave pool is administered by the military department in consultation with the office of financial management.

C. RECEIVING LEAVE

An employee is eligible to receive shared leave from the uniformed service shared leave pool, if there is leave available, and all of the following conditions are met:

1. The employee is called to service (voluntarily or involuntarily) in the armed services.
2. The employee has depleted or will shortly deplete their paid military leave, compensatory time, vacation leave, holiday credit and personal holiday. The employee may retain a reserve of up to 40 hours of vacation leave and 40 hours of military leave.
3. The employee’s monthly military salary is less than the employee’s state monthly salary (as defined in WAC 357-31-650). Regardless of the employee’s state and military salaries, up to eight hours per month may be used from the pool for the purpose of continuing medical benefits.
4. The employee has applied for uniformed service shared leave pool (USSLP) using the USSLP leave request form—available on the human resources (HR) website or HR office.
5. The employee provides an earnings statement verifying military salary, orders of service and notification of a change in orders of service or military salary.

Shared leave received from the uniformed service shared leave pool is not included in the 522-day limit specified in RCW 41.04.665.

D. DONATING LEAVE

An employee who is eligible to donate leave under Washington state shared leave program, RCW 41.04.665, may request approval to donate leave to the uniformed service shared leave pool (USSLP) by submitting a completed USSLP leave donation form, available on the HR website or HR office. Donations of leave to the uniformed service shared leave pool must meet the following requirements specific to the type of leave being donated:

1. Vacation Leave:
   Employees donating vacation leave may not donate an amount of hours that would drop their vacation leave balance below 80 hours.
2. Sick Leave:
   Employees donating sick leave may not donate an amount of leave that would drop their accumulated compensable sick leave balance below 176 hours (154 hours for faculty).
3. Personal Holiday:
   Employees may donate all or part of a personal holiday.

NOTE: Employees may not donate vacation leave hours that would otherwise be lost on the next anniversary date due to exceeding maximum leave accruals. Employees may not donate vacation leave, sick leave or personal holidays that would otherwise be lost due to separation of employment.

Leave donated to the uniformed service shared leave pool is withdrawn from the pool by employees according to procedures established by the Military Department. For more information regarding these procedures, see the military department’s uniformed services shared leave pool website.

E. ABUSE OF THE POOL

The college will investigate any alleged abuse of the uniformed service shared leave pool and on a finding of wrongdoing, the employee may be required to repay all of the shared leave received from the pool.

F. HUMAN RESOURCES/PAYROLL RESPONSIBILITIES

It is the responsibility of the human resource and payroll offices to:

1. Provide donor and recipient forms for employee use.
2. Provide guidance and consultation to employees, supervisors and managers who have questions regarding the USSLP.
3. Approve or deny donations/requests for leave from the USSLP ensuring compliance with applicable RCWs, WACs, college policies and procedures, and collective bargaining agreements.
4. If approved, deduct leave donated from the employee’s leave balances and convert employee’s leave to dollars and forward payment to the USSLP following the USSLP accounting procedures.
5. Provide written notification of the approval to receive USSLP to the employee and their supervisor, which includes:
   
   1. The date the employee was eligible to receive USSLP.
   2. The amount of shared leave the employee is eligible to use each month.
   3. Informing the employee of their duty to update the Washington military department of any changes to their military salary, orders or state monthly salary, which could affect the amount of the USSLP they are eligible to receive.
6. Calculate the amount of donated leave required to maintain and pay for benefits and monitor the use of donated leave, to ensure compliance with maximum allowable salary.
7. Document receipt of payment utilizing the USSLP accounting procedures and update the employee’s leave balances.
8. At the completion of the recipient’s military service, notify the Washington military department that the employee has returned to their state position and return any unused leave to the USSLP utilizing the USSLP accounting procedures.
9. Monitor leave available to employee and use locally donated shared leave prior to leave from the USSLP.

Approved by the president’s cabinet: 12/8/09, 3/21/23
Last reviewed: 3/21/23
Procedure contact: Human Resources

Related policies and procedures
500.375 Shared Leave Policy
500.380 Uniformed Service Shared Leave Pool Policy
500.385 Foster Parents Shared Leave Pool Policy
500.390 Veteran’s In-Service Shared Leave Pool Policy
1500.375 Shared Leave Procedure
1500.385 Foster Parents Shared Leave Pool Procedure
1500.390 Veteran’s In-Service Shared Leave Pool Procedure