12-31-2018
OLYMPIA, Wash. — Employers and employees in Washington state will start having to pay for the new paid family and medical leave program this week.
Virtually every employee in the state of Washington will have wages taken from their paycheck for the program that was approved by the Legislature and signed by Governor Jay Inslee in 2017.
Starting Tuesday, premiums will be collected by the Washington Employment Security Department, with 63 percent paid by employees and 37 percent paid by employers.
Businesses that average under 50 employees aren’t required to pay the employer portion, though their employees still are.
Benefits from the new family and medical leave paid program won’t begin until 2020.
Eligible workers will receive twelve weeks of paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child, or for serious medical condition of the worker or the worker’s family member.