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Work & Family Policy Database
Implementing Family and Medical Leave Insurance
State: Washington
Subject: Paid Family Leave, Job-Protected Leave
Bill: H.B. 1457/S.B. 5292
Sponsor: Green (D)/ Keiser (D)
Senate bill introduced and referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor: 01/24/2013
House bill introduced and referred to Committee on Labor & Workforce Development: 01/28/2013
Passed House Committee on Labor & Workforce Development: 02/13/2013
House bill referred to Committee on Finance: 02/18/2013
Hearing in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor: 02/20/2013
Subsequent hearing in the Senate Committee on Commerce & Labor: 02/22/2013
Hearing in the House Committee on Finance: 02/27/2013
Summary:
Builds upon Washington's paid parental leave law; which passed in 2007 but has not yet implemented to encompass family caregiving and personal medical leave. Extends the maximum length of leave to twelve weeks for bonding or caregiving leave and twelve weeks for personal medical leave. Certain employees have job protection. Weekly benefits will be 5.2 percent of a worker's average quarterly wages up to a maximum of $1000/week, rather than the flat rate included in the 2007 law.
"Family member" is defined as a child, parent, spouse, domestic partner or other designated person.
To fund the program, the bill requires employers to pay a premium for each worker to the state Economic Security Department, one half of which amount may be deducted from the worker's wages. The initial premium is 0.2 percent of a worker's wages, with an increase to 0.4 percent after the first year of implementation. The bill provides a tax credit to new businesses with fewer than 50 employees.
This database provides short summaries of bills and statutes. The summaries are not intended to constitute legal advice. To find out how laws relate to your particular situation, you must contact a lawyer who specializes in employees’ rights, the Labor Department’s Wage and Hour Division (1-866-4USWAGE), your state labor department and/or your union.
