Starting in 2020, Washington will be the fifth state in the nation to offer paid family and medical leave benefits to workers. Paid Family and Medical Leave, administered by the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD), is a statewide insurance program that allows employees to take time off to care for themselves or their family in times of illness or injury, to welcome a new child into their home, and for certain military-connected events.

If you will be assisting clients in complying with this new law, you are invited to participate in a survey being conducted by the ESD. The results of the survey will be used by ESD to improve the process of building reporting tools that are required by law. Access the survey here through June 1.

Quick Facts about Paid Family and Medical Leave:

• This statewide insurance plan requires employers to report employee wages and hours worked every quarter.
• Premium collection begins in 2019 and claims for leave benefits start in 2020.
• Workers can take leave for qualified events for up to 12 weeks generally, and up to 18 weeks under exceptional circumstances.
• Premiums are 0.4% of gross wages and shared by employees (63%) and employers (37%).
• Businesses with 50 or fewer employees are not required to pay the employer portion of the premium but are required to collect and remit the employee portion of the premium.

Find more details on how Paid Family and Medical Leave will affect employers here (PDF).

Matthew LaPalm is a Paid Family and Medical Leave Communications Consultant with Washington Employment Security Department. Contact him at mlapalm@esd.wa.gov or 360-489-2303 for more details or to schedule a presentation for your next event.