King County allows you to donate your accrued vacation and sick leave to another employee who is in need. New leave donation programs will begin on Jan. 1, 2023^*. The current employee-to-employee leave donation program will be updated to comply with IRS requirements and the emergency leave fund started during the pandemic will be converted to a permanent emergency medical leave fund.

Key information

• Leave donated under the new programs may only be used for FMLA/KCFML qualifying reasons, such as a serious health condition for yourself or an eligible family member, or to bond with a new child. These family and medical reasons are specified under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the King County Family and Medical Leave (KCFML) benefit.
• Donated time may only be used after you have exhausted all of your own accrued leave.
• Leave donations must be used for a prolonged absence (three or more consecutive days) at the beginning, but then can be used intermittently.
• Employees will no longer accrue sick or vacation leave while on donated leave.

Existing donated leave balances can be used under the current rules through the end of 2022. If you have unused donated leave on Jan. 7, 2023, the balance will be moved to a new donated leave bank for you and the new rules will apply to it.

More information

• Details about these programs can be found in the FAQ.
• For general information about leaves, go to the Taking leave webpage and see the Employee Leave Guide.
• New forms will be posted online by the end of 2022.

^*Although implementation for non-represented employees is pending Council action, these program changes are expected to begin for all employees on Jan. 1, 2023.