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Guide to Retirement

Plan now for Retirement

If you’re like most of us, you probably believe that retirement planning is something that you start thinking about when the end of your career is in sight. Nothing could be further from the truth. The secret to a successful retirement is getting started early: it’s never too early to start planning and saving for your retirement. 

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4. Injury, Illness, and Leave

I. Your City of Seattle Unpaid Family and Medical Leave Benefits

This section covers your City of Seattle unpaid family and medical leave benefits.

Unpaid Family and Medical Leave

The City provides up to 90 calendar days of unpaid Family and Medical Leave per rolling 12-month calendar year. Hours are pro-rated for part-time employees. Employees are eligible to use the leave after six months of employment. Eligible employees can elect to utilize their accrued paid leave, such as vacation, sick leave, floating holiday, etc., during an approved City FML leave period. City FML leave is a protected leave, allowing for job restoration, continued health insurance benefits, and protection against retaliation.

When you use Family and Medical Leave for the non-medical care of your newborn child or for a child who has been placed with you for foster care or adoption, you must provide 30 days advance notification, when possible. Any use of intermittent Family and Medical Leave for the non-medical care of your new child must be by mutual agreement between you and your supervisor. You must submit a record of birth or placement attesting to the date of the child’s birth or placement with you.

When you use Family and Medical Leave for your own serious health condition or to care for the serious health condition of an eligible family member, you must provide as much notification as possible. You must also submit a health condition certification form that certifies your or your family member’s serious health condition. The form is filled out by your family member’s healthcare provider.

Additionally, if you are taking Family and Medical Leave for your own serious health condition, you will need your healthcare provider’s release to return to work.

To apply for this leave, please contact the Fire Department’s Disability Officer or the Department’s City of Seattle Human Resources representative.

Voluntary Relief

In rare cases, Local 27 members can be kept on paid status while other members of the department voluntarily work their shifts for them. This “voluntary relief” is made available on a case-by-case basis with the agreement of the Fire Chief and the Local 27 President. Voluntary relief shifts are coordinated through the Local 27 office and communicated by the Local to the Department.