4729 Employee Holidays for Reasons of Faith or Conscience Procedure

Procedure 

Policy Name: Employee Leave for Faith or Conscience   

Policy Number: 4729  

Applicable Code/Law: RCW 1.16.050,43.41.109,WAC82-56-020  

Definitions:

College Employee – All employees (permanent or temporary) currently being paid by the College.

Procedural Guidelines  

College employees may request up to two (2) days of unpaid leave per calendar year for a reason of faith or conscience, or for an organized activity conducted under the auspices of a religious denomination, church, or religious organization.   An employee’s seniority date, probationary period, or trial service period will not be affected by leave without pay taken for a reason of faith or conscience.

  1. Request Process
    1. Employees are required to identify at the time of the request that the leave requested will be for reasons of faith or conscience. 
    2. Employees must provide 14 days’ advance written notice to their immediate supervisor, unless the religious activity could not have been reasonably foreseen.  
    3. Leave requests under this policy will only be denied if the employee’s absence will impose an undue hardship on the College as defined in WAC 82-56-020, or if the employee is necessary to maintain campus safety.    
  2. Reporting Of Leave 
    1. Administrative/Exempt and Classified staff may use accrued compensatory time, personal holiday, or vacation leave in lieu of leave without pay for this purpose.
    2. All requests to use compensatory time, personal holiday, or vacation leave must indicate the leave is being used in lieu of leave without pay for reasons of faith or conscience.  
    3. All other employees must report leave-without-pay taken for this purpose.  
    4. Each absence taken under this policy must be taken as a whole day (i.e. the day may not be divided into hours or taken piece meal).    

Approvals 

Procedures Adopted: 10/21/14 

Reviewed and Approved by Executive Team: 06/23/2026