Washington has passed a Paid Family and Medical Leave law which provides eligible employees paid leave for their own serious health condition (medical leave) or for family care (family leave).
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave is an insurance program. Employees and employers will pay premiums each paycheck to fund the program. Small employers (with fewer than 50 employees) don’t have to pay the employer portion of the premiums. Small employers may choose to pay premiums and be eligible for small business assistance funds.
Premium payments will begin January 1, 2019 and eligible employees may begin taking leave and receiving benefits under the program starting on January 1, 2020. Employees who worked at least 820 hours in Washington in four of the past five quarters will be covered and the hours do not need to be for the same employer.
To receive benefits an employee must file a claim with ESD, notify the employer of the request and meet certain eligibility requirements. If the claim is approved ESD will pay benefits for the duration of the leave directly to the employee. The amount the employee receives is a percentage of the employee’s weekly wages, up to $1,000 per week.
Eligible employee are entitled to one of the following each year:
- 12 weeks of family or medical leave
- 14 weeks of family or medical leave if the employee experiences a pregnancy-related serious health condition that results in incapacity
- 16 weeks of combined family and medical leave
- 18 weeks or combined family and medical leave if the employee experiences a pregnancy-related serious health condition that results in incapacity.
There is a seven-day waiting period for benefits except if an employee taxes leave for the birth or placement of a child.
You can find more details about Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave law on their website. https://esd.wa.gov/paid-family-medical-leave