Labor & Employment (Paid Leave)

This bill adjusts how employer and employee contributions are distributed between family leave and medical leave premiums in Washington's state paid leave program. It specifies that employers may deduct up to 40% of the family leave premium and up to 45% of the medical leave premium from employee wages, while maintaining the total premium rate. Employers with fewer than 50 employees in the state are exempt from paying the employer portion of premiums, though they may choose to pay and qualify for state assistance. The bill also sets a maximum total premium rate of 1.20% and prevents local governments from creating competing leave programs.

SB 6141 temporarily freezes the maximum weekly benefit amount for Washington's paid family and medical leave program at the 2025 level for 2027 benefits. This means the cap will not increase automatically on January 1, 2027, as it would have under the existing law, keeping the maximum at $1,000 per week for that year. The bill directly affects workers who use the state's paid leave program, preventing an annual adjustment that would otherwise raise the benefit cap based on state wage averages.

HB 2485 modifies Washington's paid family and medical leave program to prevent individuals from receiving both state benefits and employer-paid leave for the same period ("double-dipping"). It updates eligibility rules and adds requirements for the Employment Security Department to detect errors or fraud in claims. The bill amends specific statutes (RCW 50A.05.010, 50A.15.060, and 50A.35.030) to clarify definitions and improve program administration. These changes directly affect workers applying for state benefits and the state agency managing the program. The focus is on ensuring program integrity through clearer rules and fraud prevention mechanisms.

SB 6142 reduces the maximum duration of paid family and medical leave in Washington from 12 weeks to 8 weeks for each type of leave within a 52-week period. It also establishes a combined cap of 12 weeks (14 weeks with pregnancy-related complications) for both types of leave, replacing the previous 16-week combined limit. The bill maintains a $1,000 weekly benefit maximum and adjusts benefit calculations based on average weekly wages, with minimum weekly benefits set at $100. This change, effective January 1, 2027, directly affects eligible Washington workers seeking paid leave for family or medical reasons.

This bill limits supplemental paid leave benefits for Washington state and local government employees while they are on approved paid family or medical leave. It prevents total compensation (the primary benefit plus supplemental leave) from exceeding the employee's regular salary or average hourly rate. Supplemental leave used under this rule cannot be counted toward weekly claims submitted to the employment security department. The law takes effect July 1, 2027.