Seattle College District VI recognizes the impact of domestic violence in the workplace. Domestic violence is abusive or harassing behavior that is physical, sexual, psychological or economical, and is intended to establish and maintain control by a family or household member over another current or former family or household member.

“Family or household member” means spouses, former spouses, persons who have a child in common regardless of whether they have been married or have lived together at any time, adult persons related by blood or marriage, adults persons who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past, persons sixteen years of age or older who are presently residing together or who have resided together in the past and who have or have had a dating relationship, persons sixteen years of age or older with whom a person sixteen years of age or older has or has had a dating relationship, and persons who have a biological or legal parent-child relationship, including stepparents, stepchildren, grandparents, and grandchildren.

Seattle College District VI is committed to making assistance available to employees involved in domestic violence. This may include: confidential means for coming forward for help, resource and referral information, special considerations at the workplace for employee safety, work schedule adjustments, and workplace relocation if available. In responding to domestic violence, Seattle College District VI will maintain appropriate confidentiality.

Seattle College District VI will comply with all provisions set forth in RCW 49.76. An employee may take reasonable leave, intermittent leave, or leave on a reduced leave schedule from work to

  1. seek legal or law enforcement assistance or remedies to ensure the health and safety of the employee or employee’s family and/or household members;
  2. seek treatment by a health care provider for physical or mental injuries caused by domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, or to attend to health care treatment for a family and/or household member;
  3. obtain, or assist a family and/or household member in obtaining, services from a domestic violence shelter, rape crisis center, or other social services program for relief from domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
  4. obtain, or assist a family and/or household member in obtaining, mental health counseling related to an incident of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking, in which the employee or the employee’s family member was a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking; or
  5. participate in safety planning, temporarily or permanently relocate, or take other actions to increase the safety of the employee or employee’s family and/ or household members from future domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

All employees and/or their family members are encouraged to use the Washington State Employees Assistance Program (EAP) to receive assistance and referrals.

Nothing in this policy prevents an employee from seeking civil action if he or she is injured by any act in violation of the Domestic Violence Leave Law.

Companion Document : Pro
Adoption Date : 2015/10/08
Revision Date : 0001/01/01