If paid leave is not based upon earned leave accumulated over time, the payment is not a deferred payment for services previously rendered. Further, the member on leave is not currently rendering services in exchange for the payment. However, RCW 41.35.470 and 41.35.650 identify payments received from the employer while on paid leave as reportable for SERS. Contributions are due on these payments to the extent they meet the following conditions:

(1) The payment is equal to the salary for the position that the person is on leave from;

(2) The payment is actually from the employer. Payments from an employer that are conditioned upon reimbursement from a third party are payments from the third party. Because the payments are not from the employer, they are not reportable compensation. The only exception is union leave paid by the employer subject to reimbursement from the union under the conditions specified in RCW 41.35.470 (Plan 2) and RCW 41.35.650 (Plan 3) and WAC 415-110-466.