Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers proudly supports Washington State’s workforce when they don’t receive the pay they’ve worked for and earned. Employers can unfairly deny sick days in violation of state and federal laws. If this has happened to you and you want to know how to get the money you are owed, contact us for a free, no-obligation consultation.
Let’s go over how to hold your employer financially accountable for everything that’s been denied to you. In some cases, there are ways to receive more than you are owed for your time and money forfeited.
Can a Washington Employment Lawyer Help Me Win More for my Case?
Yes, in some cases. Your case may involve a protected reason for requiring sick days, and those days off were denied. When an employer denies these days off or refuses to pay you for them, it’s a serious offense and may involve federal and state penalties.
These cases can be complex and require full investigations into the inner workings of your company. A skilled Washington Unpaid Wages Lawyer can investigate your case and has a better chance of securing important documents from your employer to prove fault.
These are a few other reasons you may want a lawyer’s help:
- If you’re employer isn’t taking your complaint seriously
- If your case is complex
- A lawyer files your employment claim and makes sure L&I understands how a denial of sick days has affected your life
- If your employer decides to fight your claim and refers you to company lawyers
- If you feel you may have to file a lawsuit to earn justice
- If you feel your job may be in jeopardy for reporting a sick day issue
- If many coworkers are experiencing the same issues
- If L&I has unfairly rejected your claim, we can help you file an appeal
Having a lawyer handle your case can often help you secure much more in a settlement or court judgment. This is often more than you could earn by handling your case yourself.
A lawyer will be more experienced at gathering evidence and taking on major corporations and government agencies. Your lawyer makes sure employment officials or a judge understands what happened and how those missed days off affected you and your family’s well-being. The violations may have also breached Federal Law. Your lawyer makes sure your employer is held fully responsible under all applicable laws.
Your lawyer also calculates everything you’ve been put through and the financial loss, and then negotiates for that amount and accepts no less.
Should I Get Sick Leave When Working for a Washington State Employer?
Yes. Washington labor laws guarantee sick leave to most workers in most careers and fields. The rights are outlined on the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) website.
RCW 49.46.210 explains the bare minimum that employers must provide:
“(a) An employee shall accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every forty hours worked as an employee. An employer may provide paid sick leave in advance of accrual provided that such front-loading meets or exceeds the requirements of this section for accrual, use, and carryover of paid sick leave.”
- Workers begin accruing sick days on their first day of work.
- Employees are entitled to use paid sick leave they have accrued once they have reached 90 calendar days of employment.
- Employers must also allow workers to carry over unused sick days at the end of the year up to 40 hours.
When Can I Use Sick Days in Washington?
Employees are allowed to use these paid days off when they are mentally or physically ill or when they must take care of sick relatives. This would include a parent needing time away to care for a sick child. There are other reasons allowed.
According to the Department of L&I, sick leave can be used for these purposes:
- A mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition.
- To diagnose, care for, or treat a mental or physical illness, injury, or health condition.
- To receive preventive medical care.
- For leave that qualifies under the state’s Domestic Violence Leave Act.
- If an employee’s workplace, or their child’s school or place of care, has been closed by order of a public official for a health-related reason.
Can I Use Sick Leave to Go to Immigration Hearings?
Yes. You can take off while getting prepared or attending to matters involving citizenship and living, and working in Washington legally.
The Department of L&I explains this new right that falls under sick leave:
“Legislation passed in 2025 allows employees to use paid sick leave to prepare for, or participate in, a judicial or administrative immigration proceeding involving the employee or their family member. These changes took effect July 27, 2025.”
Washington employers are not allowed to deny sick leave used for immigration matters. It’s also illegal for businesses to threaten to report employees to immigration officials for seeking time off. Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers protect all Washington State workers, no matter their citizenship or immigration status.
Contact a Washington Denied Sick Time Lawyer Today
If your employer isn’t allowing you the sick time you are guaranteed or paying you for that time away, you have legal rights that need to be protected. At Ferraro Vega Employment Lawyers, we’re here to help you make sure you get paid. We take up the fight until you receive what you are owed. We help victims of employment violations in Seattle, Spokane, Tacoma, and across Washington State. We help victims regardless of their immigration status. Labor laws are in place to help everyone.
At the same time, we safeguard your job security and shield you from any retaliation from employers. Our legal team knows all city, state, and U.S. labor laws and will work hard to hold your employer accountable. Don’t wait–contact us today for a free consultation.
