WA paid family leave premiums are going up

Washington workers could see a bigger chunk of their paychecks going toward Paid Family and Medical Leave next year as the increasingly popular state program remains under financial pressure.

Starting in January, the program’s premium rate will be 0.92% of an employee’s gross wages, up from the current 0.74% rate. State law requires the program to recalculate the rate every year.

The uptick is due to the continued growth of the program, more employees becoming eligible for benefits following the pandemic, and the end of a collective bargaining agreement that kept some workers boxed out, according to the Employment Security Department.

The program allows people to take paid time off from work if they have a serious health condition, if they’re caring for family members, or if they have a new child.

https://washingtonstatestandard.com/briefs/wa-paid-family-leave-premiums-are-going-up/