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Washington State Launches Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Website

02/07/19

Author: ADP Admin/Monday, February 4, 2019/Categories: State Compliance Update, Washington

Washington State Launches Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program Website Overview: Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, signed into law Substitute Senate Bill 5975 (S5975), which creates the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program effective January 1, 2020. The Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) has launched a new website to provide guidance to employers, workers and healthcare providers on the new paid family and medical leave program.

Effective Date: January 1, 2020

Details:
Background
The paid family and medical leave program will provide everyone in the workforce with up to 12 weeks of paid medical leave, and up to 12 weeks paid time off to care for a new child or an ailing family member. That leave is capped at 16 weeks if the employee needs both types of time off in a one-year period. Women who experience pregnancy complications may receive an additional two weeks of leave.

Employers with 50 or more employees, and their employees, will both be making contributions to the program beginning on January 1, 2019. The premium for 2019 is 0.4 percent of an employee's gross wages, up to the Social Security taxable wage base of $132,900. Employers may elect to pay all of their employees’ share of the premium, or may split the cost of the program by withholding up to 63.333 percent of the premium from employees’ paychecks. The employer is responsible for paying the other 37.667 percent, and remitting total premiums to the ESD on a quarterly basis, starting in April 2019. Employers with fewer than 50 employees will collect and remit employee premiums through withholding and report employee wages, hours worked and more on a quarterly basis to the ESD.

Depending on earnings, employees will receive up to 90 percent of their wage or salary or up to $1,000 per week during their leave. Employees become eligible for the program after working 820 hours.

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees will not be required to pay the employer share of the premium, but those businesses can still opt-in. Businesses with fewer than 150 employees who pay into the program are eligible for grants of $1,000 to $3,000 each to cover the cost of an employee on leave.

Website:
The website includes Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for employers and workers, links to an employer webinar and a premium calculator.

For a copy of the ESD website please click on the link provided below.

https://paidleave.wa.gov/

Action Required: Prepare to revise paid family leave policies and procedures to ensure they meet the law's requirements. Train supervisory and managerial employees, as well as HR and payroll personnel, on the new law's requirements

As always, please be sure to contact your dedicated service professional if you have any questions.

This content provides practical information concerning the subject matter covered and is provided with the understanding that ADP is not rendering legal advice.

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