Time Away From Work
Taking time off from work is important for your overall well-being and productivity in both your professional and personal life. You may also find the need to take extended time away from work for health, family, or other reasons.
Western Digital offers a variety of benefits that allow you time to relax, recover, care for family members, honor personal commitments, and more.
All U.S. salaried employees must enter their time off (i.e. vacation, sick leave, jury duty and bereavement leave) in Workday.
Leave Resources
- Flow Chart
- MetLife Guide to Absence Reporting
Western Digital’s vacation policies allow you to take paid time off from work.
See Connect for more details.
Exempt Employees
Exempt employees at all levels do not accrue vacation time. Instead, employees at these levels will work with their manager to coordinate time off. Requests should be made before vacation is taken and as far in advance as possible. While Western Digital encourages you to take scheduled time off for rest and relaxation, you should be aware that your vacation request may be denied if granting the request would impose a burden on business operations.
It’s important to remember that with responsibility comes accountability. While there is no maximum amount of vacation, requesting excessive vacation may jeopardize your ability to deliver on performance expectations. You can expect your manager to deny requests for excessive vacation (for example, one week every month may be considered “excessive”). By continuing the practice of review and approval by your manager, we ensure consistency with our past practices and policies to ensure fairness and predictability of results.
Note: Employees on Leave of Absence (LOA) do not accrue sick or vacation time. Employees may not elect to use vacation or sick time during shutdowns, sabbaticals or furloughs as scheduled by the company.
Non-Exempt Employees
Non-exempt employees accrue vacation time based on years of service, pro-rated for part-time employees. Vacation hours can be used as soon as they are accrued, with your manager’s approval. Vacation advances can also be requested (up to 24 hours), which allows vacation time to be taken even if hours have not been accrued, with employee agreement that pay will be deducted if your vacation balance is negative at termination. Sometimes employees do not use all of their accrued vacation hours in a year. These hours can be carried forward to next year up to a set limit on the total number of hours you can accumulate. While Western Digital encourages you to take scheduled time off for rest and relaxation, you should be aware that your vacation request may be denied if granting the request would impose a burden on business operations.
Below is the vacation accrual rate schedule (prorated for part-time employees)
|
Years of Service |
Actual Rate (Pay Period/Annual) |
Cap |
|
0 years until 4th anniversary |
4.62 hours/120 hours |
180 hours |
|
4th anniversary until 9th anniversary |
6.15 hours/160 hours |
240 hours |
|
9th anniversary until 14th anniversary |
6.77 hours/176 hours |
264 hours |
|
14th anniversary and forward |
8.31 hours/216 hours |
324 hours |
Western Digital exempt employees who are converted to a non-exempt position at any time during their employment with Western Digital will receive an initial vacation bank of 8 hours for every year of service (up to 40 hours maximum) and will accrue additional vacation hours as of the conversion date and in accordance with the accrual schedule above.
Note: Employees on Leave of Absence (LOA) do not accrue sick or vacation time. However, the company may require the use of accrued vacation time during shutdowns, sabbaticals or furloughs.
Western Digital provides 11 paid holidays to regular, full-time employees. Each year, Western Digital posts the observed Holidays on Connect.
Shift employees and part-time employees have slightly different guidelines for holidays:
- Shift employees (exempt and non-exempt) may not take work off for holidays without permission from their manager
- For shift employees, holiday pay (8 hours of work for each of the 11 holidays) is added during the pay period in which the holiday occurs
- Regular, part-time employees will have their holiday pay prorated if the holiday falls on a regularly-scheduled workday
- Generally, U.S. Holidays include the following:
| Holiday | When Observed |
|---|---|
| New Year’s Day | January 1 |
| Martin Luther King, Jr. Day | Third Monday in January |
| Presidents’ Day | Third Monday in February |
| Memorial Day | Last Monday in May |
| Juneteenth |
June 19 If Holiday falls on Saturday, observed on Friday. If Holiday falls on Sunday, observed on Monday. |
| Independence Day | July 4 |
| Labor Day | First Monday in September |
| Thanksgiving Day | Fourth Thursday in November |
| Day After Thanksgiving Day | Friday after Thanksgiving |
| Christmas Holiday | Varies by Year |
| Christmas Day | December 25 |
Even the most health conscious people get sick sometimes. When that happens, you can count on Western Digital to allow you time to rest or receive treatment.
Sick Time
- US Hourly Employees - Employees who work more than 20 hours a week will receive 48 hours of sick time per year. You do not need manager approval to take sick time, but you should notify them of your absence. If you or a qualified dependent need time off for medical reasons, you should take a Leave of Absence.
- US Salaried Employees - Employees who work more than 20 hours a week will receive 48 hours of sick time per year. You do not need manager approval in order to take sick time, but you should notify them of your absence. If you need time off for medical reasons for yourself or a qualified dependent, you should take a Leave of Absence. All U.S. salaried employees must enter their time off (i.e. vacation, sick leave, jury duty and bereavement) in Workday. This allows people leaders to better manage workforce planning when employees are out of the office.
- For more information on time recording, accruals, carryover hours and more, please refer to the FAQs. If you have questions not found there you can reach out to AskHR.
Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) (California Employees)
California-based Western Digital employees who work a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week are automatically enrolled in our Voluntary Disability Insurance (VDI) Plan, which provides better benefits, in lieu of the California State Disability (SDI) Insurance benefit. VDI Plan starts on the 6th day of disability and pays 75% of your base salary to a maximum of $3,000 per week. Benefits end when you are no longer disabled or a maximum of 52 weeks. VDI provides wage replacement in the event you are unable to work due to:
- Illness
- Injury
- Pregnancy and/or childbirth
- Caring for a seriously ill family member
- Bonding with a new child
- Participating in a military exigency
Short‐term Disability (STD) insurance (Non‐California Employees)
Employees working outside of California who work a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week are automatically enrolled in our short‐term disability benefit that is similar to the California disability. Short Term Disability Plan begins on the 6th day of disability and pays 90% of your base salary to a maximum of $3,000 per week. Benefits end when you are no longer disabled or a maximum of 52 weeks. STD provides wage replacement in the event you are unable to work due to:
- Illness
- Injury
- Pregnancy and/or childbirth
- Caring for a seriously ill family member
- Bonding with a new child
- Participating in a military exigency
Long-term Disability (LTD) insurance
Western Digital employees who work a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week are automatically enrolled in our Long Term Disability (LTD). The LTD plan can be used if your disability keeps you out of work past the end of your short term disability benefit period.
- Paid for by Western Digital
- Coverage begins after you have been disabled for 52 weeks.
- Pays 66.67% of your salary, up to a maximum of $15,000 per month.
- Offset by any other disability income (including VDI, SSDI, and others)
U.S. Leave of Absence Policies
Pregnancy Disability Leave
California employees may be entitled to take leave or transfer to an alternate position because of a disability related to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions.
What to do:
California employees may be entitled to take leave or transfer to an alternate position because of a disability related to pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date. If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife. MetLife requires doctor’s certification – including diagnosis and leave dates – within 15 days of your leave date. You will not receive disability payments until your leave documentation is submitted and approved by MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
New Parent Leave
Provides new parents with 8 weeks of paid time off following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. In addition to the new birth parent, the spouse or domestic partner is also eligible for this benefit. This new program is a complement to our current paid disability benefit for new birth mothers. For further information and FAQ on the New Parent Leave, please visit Connect.
What to do:
Provides new parents with 8 weeks of paid time off following the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. In addition to the new birth parent, the spouse or domestic partner is also eligible for this benefit. This new program is a complement to our current paid disability benefit for new birth mothers. For further information and FAQ on the New Parent Leave, please visit Connect.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date. If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife. MetLife requires doctor’s certification – including diagnosis and leave dates – within 15 days of your leave date. You will not receive disability payments until your leave documentation is submitted and approved by MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
Family Leave
Sometimes you need to take an extended period of time away from work to care for a new baby or family member or to recover from an illness. Through the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), you may be eligible to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave.
Qualifying situations include:
-
-
- Your own serious health condition that makes you unable to perform the functions of your job (runs concurrently with short-term disability (STD).
- A serious health condition of your child, spouse, or parent that requires you to care for that family member.
- The birth of a child that requires you to take time off to care for the child (six or eight weeks depending on natural or Cesarean childbirth; will run concurrently with STD).
- The placement of a child with you for adoption or foster care.
- Covered military family leave.
-
Leave Eligibility
To be eligible for Family and Medical Leave you must:
-
-
- Have worked for Western Digital for at least 12 months (not necessarily consecutive);
- Work for a division of Western Digital that employs 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius during 20 or more workweeks in the current or preceding year; and
- Provide at least 1,250 hours of service in the preceding 12-month period.
-
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date. If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife. MetLife requires doctor’s certification – including diagnosis and leave dates – within 15 days of your leave date. You will not receive disability payments until your leave documentation is submitted and approved by MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
Personal Leave
If you have exhausted your vacation time, you may be able to take an unpaid leave of absence for nonmedical personal matters, including family matters not covered under Family and Medical Leave.
What to do:
If you have exhausted your vacation time, you may be able to take an unpaid leave of absence for nonmedical personal matters, including family matters not covered under Family and Medical Leave.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date.
Bereavement
In the unfortunate event of the death of a family member, you may take up to 5 days off (3 paid days and 2 unpaid or as vacation days).
In the unfortunate event of the death of a family member, you may take up to 5 days off (3 paid days and 2 unpaid or as vacation days).
Voting
Employees are eligible for paid time off for the purpose of voting only if they do not have sufficient time outside of working hours to vote. The intent of the law is to provide an opportunity to vote to workers who would not be able to do so because of their jobs.
What to do:
Employees are eligible for paid time off for the purpose of voting only if they do not have sufficient time outside of working hours to vote. The intent of the law is to provide an opportunity to vote to workers who would not be able to do so because of their jobs.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take time off at the beginning or end of a shirt in order to vote.
Victims of Domestic Violence
If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, crimes that cause physical injury or mental injury, and crimes involving a treat to physical injury; and of persons whose immediate family member is deceased as a direct result of a crime, you may request to take time off.
What to do:
If you are a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, crimes that cause physical injury or mental injury, and crimes involving a treat to physical injury; and of persons whose immediate family member is deceased as a direct result of a crime, you may request to take time off.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date. If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
Military Leave
To support your service to your country, you may be eligible for an approved leave of absence consistent with the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).
What to do:
To support your service to your country, you may be eligible for an approved leave of absence consistent with the requirements of the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA).
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Civil Air Patrol Policy
All U.S. employees are eligible to take unpaid leave for emergency duty as a volunteer firefighter, reserve peace officer, emergency rescue personnel or Civil Air Patrol. Volunteer firefighters, reserve police officers, emergency rescue personnel and members of the Civil Air Patrol may also take up to fifteen (15) work days off per year for the purpose of engaging in fire, law enforcement or emergency rescue training. “Emergency rescue personnel” is defined as any person who is an officer, employee, or member of a fire department, fire protection or firefighting agency of the federal government, state, city, county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision, or a sheriff’s department, police department, or a private fire department, whether that person is a volunteer or partly paid or fully paid, while he or she is actually engaged in providing emergency services.
What to do:
All U.S. employees are eligible to take unpaid leave for emergency duty as a volunteer firefighter, reserve peace officer, emergency rescue personnel or Civil Air Patrol. Volunteer firefighters, reserve police officers, emergency rescue personnel and members of the Civil Air Patrol may also take up to fifteen (15) work days off per year for the purpose of engaging in fire, law enforcement or emergency rescue training. “Emergency rescue personnel” is defined as any person who is an officer, employee, or member of a fire department, fire protection or firefighting agency of the federal government, state, city, county, district, or other public or municipal corporation or political subdivision, or a sheriff’s department, police department, or a private fire department, whether that person is a volunteer or partly paid or fully paid, while he or she is actually engaged in providing emergency services.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date.
California Family Rights Act
CFRA authorizes eligible California employees to take up to a total of 12 weeks of paid or unpaid job-protected leave during a 12-month period. Eligible employees can take the leave for one or more of the following reasons: The birth of a child or adoption or foster care placement of a child.
What to do:
CFRA authorizes eligible California employees to take up to a total of 12 weeks of paid or unpaid job-protected leave during a 12-month period. Eligible employees can take the leave for one or more of the following reasons: The birth of a child or adoption or foster care placement of a child.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take a leave of absence; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date. If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
- Call MetLife @ 1-833-771-1431 or file your claim online at MetLife.com/MyBenefits.
- Read and respond to any communication mailed to you from MetLife. MetLife requires doctor’s certification – including diagnosis and leave dates – within 15 days of your leave date. You will not receive disability payments until your leave documentation is submitted and approved by MetLife.
- If you are applying for a Family Medical Leave, submit your FMLA certification within 15 days. You will not be approved for FMLA until your certification is submitted and approved by MetLife. (MetLife will send you the proper forms based on leave requested)
- Keep your manager and MetLife up to date on the status of your leave.
- If your leave will be extended, immediately call MetLife, and provide new documentation from your doctor within two weeks. If you do not call and/or provide a new doctor’s note within two weeks, your claim will be closed.
- Watch for communication from WEX regarding payment of your benefit premiums; following a 30-day grace period, you must pay your employee premiums to WEX on a monthly basis. If you do not make these payments on a monthly basis, your coverage will be cancelled, and you will be offered COBRA.
- After six months, WEX will send you COBRA continuation information; to continue your benefits, you must pay 102% of the actual company premium each month.
- Notify your manager and MetLife at least one week in advance of your confirmed return to work date. If you return to work without advance notice, you will not have system access.
- If you need an accommodation other than an LOA, or you need an accommodation upon returning to work from an LOA, please contact BenefitsUS@wdc.com.
Jury Duty/Witness Leave
For exempt employees- Western Digital will pay for up to two workweeks of jury duty. Any jury or witness duty performed in excess of this amount is unpaid.
For exempt employees- Western Digital will pay for up to two workweeks of jury duty. Any jury or witness duty performed in excess of this amount is unpaid.
For non-exempt employees- Up to 80 hours of jury or witness duty will be paid by Western Digital in any 12-month period at the employee’s base hourly rate. Any jury or witness duty performed in excess of this amount is unpaid, or, where permissible by state law, you may elect to use accrued vacation time.
Employees should decline any amounts received as jury or witness fees.
What to do:
- Immediately notify your manager that you will need to take time off for jury duty; provide your first day off and your expected return-to-work date.