The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 took testimony on House Bill 18 75, which would allow workers to use accrued paid sick leave for absences related to the worker’s or a family member’s judicial or administrative immigration proceeding.

Ben McCarthy, staff to the committee, told members that current state paid sick leave law requires employers to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked and allows employers to request verification only if an absence lasts more than three days. “This bill would allow workers to use their paid sick leave to cover absences relating to the worker or the worker’s family member’s involvement in a judicial or administrative immigration proceeding,” McCarthy said. He said employers or transportation network companies may accept a written statement from the worker, an advocate, attorney or member of the clergy as verification when an absence exceeds three days.

Representative Osman Saladin, prime sponsor, told the committee the change is intended to reduce the risk that immigrant workers will lose jobs or income while attending time‑consuming proceedings. “Many residents across our state face complex immigration proceedings that require their time,” said Representative Osman Saladin, who represents the 48th Legislative District, which he identified as including Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland. He said 43% of residents in his district are immigrants and that proceedings can span multiple appointments or hearings.

Witnesses representing legal and worker organizations supported the bill. Malu Chavez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, said missing a hearing can lead to an order of removal. “For community members, it’s important that they attend their hearings because if they miss, they are ordered deported,” Chavez said. Danielle Alvarado, executive director of Fair Work Center, said the bill adds a clearly authorized use of already‑accrued time and would reduce employer confusion and intimidation about when leave may be taken. Guillermo Zazueta, lead field organizer for 1 America, said the change is a simple addition to existing authorized uses in state law and urged a due‑pass recommendation.

The Washington Retail Association suggested two amendments: accounting for existing legal‑assistance programs and adding objective documentation standards to support leave claims. Rose Gunderson of the association said there are multiple legal‑aid programs in the state and that objective documentation would help ensure leave is used appropriately.

The committee suspended the hearing for an executive session to vote on other bills and later reopened HB 18 75 for testimony from the panel. No committee vote on HB 18 75 was recorded in the transcript.

Clarifying details from the staff briefing indicate an employer may request verification only when an absence lasts more than three days, and that accepted verification may include a written statement from the worker, an advocate, attorney or clergy member. The bill, as described in briefing, explicitly applies to workers and transportation network company drivers in the same framework as the state paid sick leave law.

The committee did not take a formal committee vote on House Bill 18 75 during the portion of the meeting in the provided transcript.