USA: Compliance: Washington State Passes Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

US: Legislative Update: Washington State Passes Paid Family and Medical Leave Law

Effective date: January 1, 2020

Our US Partner, Alliant Employee Benefits, provided this legislative update for Washington State last week. A summary is below, or you can read the full update on their website.

On June 30, 2017, the Washington Legislature passed a paid family and medical leave program (Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave, or WPFML) that will be funded by employer and employee premiums and administered by the Washington State Employment Security Department. Paid family leave is available for bonding after the birth or placement of a child under age 18, a family member’s serious health condition, or for a military exigency. Paid medical leave is available for the employee’s own serious health condition. Like several other new state leave laws, WPFML is both a wage replacement and a leave entitlement, with job protection and maintenance of benefits provisions. Benefits are available to qualified employees beginning January 1, 2020. Premiums will be assessed by the Employment Security Department beginning January 1, 2019.