Time for life’s joys and emergencies
At some point, almost everyone needs to take time away from work, whether to care for a new child, help a family member who is sick, or recover from their own illness. Care is the foundation of our economy — we wouldn’t have a workforce with no one to care for employees — and it’s a key component of leading a fulfilling life.
Washington Work and Families Coalition (WWFC) was one of the catalyzing organizations behind Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFML), one of the most comprehensive in the nation. Since January 1, 2020, working Washingtonians can take the time to care for their health or that of a loved one without fear of missing a paycheck.
WWFC continues to work with coalition partners to ensure equitable access to Washington’s program and advises advocates across the country working toward similar policies.
2025 policy improvements: Closing the job protection loophole
In 2025, the WWFC fought and won improvements to PFML that makes the program more equitable and accessible. Beginning in 2026, workers of all kinds, including part-time and shift workers, will have better job security.
Before 2025, nearly 50% of Washington workers who paid into the program and had worked enough hours to qualify were not guaranteed their job back if they took PFML. Only 16% of low-wage earners qualify for job protection. Women, workers of color, and workers without postsecondary degrees are less likely to qualify for job-protected leave. For these workers, taking PFML could mean losing their jobs and access to health care at a time when they need it the most.
The current law only provides job protection to workers whose company employs 50 or more employees in the state of Washington, has worked with that employer for at least one year, and has worked 1,250 hours in the past year. In 2026, employers with 25 or more employees will be required to provide job protection. In 2027, employers with 15 or more employees will have the same requirement, and in 2028, employers with eight or more employees will be required to provide job protection.
Additional improvements also require employers to continue covering their portion of health care insurance during the employee’s absence and lower the minimum claim duration from eight consecutive hours to four consecutive hours. This change provides greater flexibility for all eligible workers under PFML.
There will also be several new provisions for small businesses, including preventing workers from stacking PFML and federal Family and Medical Leave Act benefits, and adjusting the grant assistance program to cover employers with up to 150 employees.
2024 policy improvements: Improving certification process
In 2024, WWFC successfully advocated for improvements in PFML’s medical certification process. People were waiting up to three weeks for a signed form from a health care provider, which is a requirement to access PFML benefits. The extended wait times delayed people’s PFML payments and impact access.
The improvements to PFML in 2024 requires medical providers to sign and return the medical certification to the worker within seven calendar days.
2023 policy improvements: Expanding parental access
In 2023, WWFC fought and won better access to PFML for birthing people. Improvements to the law include having the first six weeks after the birth of a baby considered medical, meaning the birthing parent does not need to reapply for medical leave. The parent will still need to apply for family leave after the six weeks are up.
PFML can now be used for seven days following the loss of a child for which you were or would have taken family leave for bonding.
Paid Family & Medical Leave provides paid time to:
- Recover from your own serious illness or injury
- Care for a newborn or newly placed foster or adopted child
- Care for a seriously ill family member
- Cope with a family member’s military deployment
Washington’s Employment Security Department administers PFML.
Apply for benefits here.
How the Program Works
How much leave do people earn per year?
You can take up to 12 weeks of either family or medical leave or up to 18 weeks of benefits for people recovering from a serious health condition or childbirth, caring for a loved one, or a new child. Birthing people who experience an uncomplicated pregnancy and childbirth are also entitled to take the medical leave they need to maintain a healthy pregnancy and recover, plus bonding leave, for a combined 16 weeks of leave.
Leave can be taken all at once or intermittently. Both parents can take bonding leave, and more than one family member can take time to support a seriously ill loved one.
How is the program funded?
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical is funded by a premium shared by an employee and their employer. In 2025, the shared premium is 0.92%. Minimum wage workers will pay $4.38 weekly, and benefits are based on your usual weekly wages over the past year. Lower wage earners receive 90% of their wages. Those with higher wages get a smaller percentage.
You can estimate you weekly benefit here. You’ll receive payment by direct deposit or a prepaid card.
Broad coverage
Everyone who worked in Washington at least 820 hours in the past year (about 16 hours per week), including with multiple employers, is covered except federal employees and some Tribal employees. Workers covered by collective bargaining agreements that have not changed since October 2017 may not be covered until their contract reopens.
Affordable for everyone
Washington employees and employers support Paid Family and Medical through payroll premiums. Someone working full-time at minimum wage contributes $3.44 per week, and the employer pays $1.38 per week. Someone making $54,000 per year pays $5.29 per week, and the employer $2.11. Companies with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from paying the employer portion, but their employees still receive the same benefits. Employers may also opt to pay the employee share of premiums. Employers must still report premiums paid by their employees and their hours worked.
The Department of Employment Security has a premium calculator here.
Coordination with employer benefits
Employees can often coordinate their Paid Family and Medical (PFML) benefits with sick leave, paid time off (PTO), or other paid leave benefits to either extend their leaves or supplement their benefits up to full pay. Check with your employer about how to receive supplemental benefits. You can also use sick leave or PTO during the week waiting period before medical benefits begin.
Is my job protected?
Maybe. If you’ve worked at least one year at a company with 50 or more employees, your employer probably must hold your job and continue your health insurance. Otherwise, they may not be required to. However, many smaller employers want to retain trained employees, so talk to your boss or HR about returning to work. If you meet eligibility criteria, you are entitled to receive PFML benefits and do not need your boss’s permission.
Support for businesses
Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees are not required to pay the employer share of premiums, but may choose to do so in order to be eligible for small business assistance funds. Companies with fewer than 150 employees that pay employer premiums may apply for $3,000 to cover costs of training temporary replacement workers or up to $1,000 for other costs of covering work when someone is out on leave (such as overtime or cross-training a current employee).
Companies may opt to provide their own benefits of equal length and at least equal financial compensation and apply for a waiver from the state program.
How to apply
1. Prepare by reviewing the paidleave.wa.gov website, notifying your employer (30 days in advance when possible), gathering documents, including ID and medical or birth certification, and creating your account.
2. Apply for benefits, but wait until after your qualifying event occurs (birth, surgery, etc.) Don’t worry, if you start leave before receiving approval, you can collect retroactive benefits for those weeks.
3. File weekly claims – Once your application is approved, you’ll file weekly claims for benefits, similar to filling out your timesheet.
News & Resources
For preliminary research and lessons from implementing Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave Program, click here.
For a comic explaining the difference between sick leave and family and medical leave, click here.
For a report on how advocates won paid leave in Washington, click here.
For more research about paid family and medical leave, click here.
Washington Work and Family Coalition 