Sherry L. Talton

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Signed into law by Governor Inslee on May 9, 2023 and effective January 1, 2024, new legislation allows certain interested parties to have access to information from the Washington Security Department, the state agency who administers the paid family and medical leave program, regarding an employee’s leave including:

  • Requested duration
    • …

    Beginning on January 1, 2023, the Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave Program’s “total premium” rate rose to 0.8% from 0.6%.  This rate is recalculated annually in October, based on contributions from premiums and benefits paid during the previous year. 

    As was true in previous years, employers must report to the Washington Employment Security Department…

    The Washington Employment Security Department has amended the “waiting period” regulation, WAC 192-500-185, for certain employees who successfully apply to the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Program.

    Under Washington’s PFML, the “waiting period” falls during the first seven consecutive calendar days beginning with the Sunday of the first week that an eligible…

    Beginning July 25, 2021, employees can use Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (WPFML) to care for more people.

    The law originally permitted employees to get paid leave to help address the serious health condition of any “family member.” That term was defined to include:

    • “Child,” including biological, adopted, or foster child, a stepchild, or

    …

    The Washington State Legislature has temporarily amended the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) Act to create pandemic leave assistance grants for certain employees and employers. Employees and employers cannot apply for these grants until August 1, 2021. This amendment expires on June 30, 2023. Read more about these grants.

    Under the Washington COVID-19 Food Production Workers Paid Leave Program, no food production employer in Washington may operate from August 18, 2020, to November 13, 2020, unless the employer provides its workers with paid leave for certain qualifying events.

    The Program was created by Governor Jay Inslee under Proclamation 20-67.

    Read the full article…

    The Seattle City Council has enacted the Paid Sick and Safe Time for Gig Workers Ordinance, which temporarily provides paid sick and safe time (PSST) to “gig workers” for online-based food delivery network companies and drivers of transportation network companies with 250 or more gig workers worldwide. The ordinance takes effect July 13, 2020, and…

    Under Seattle’s Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) law, an employer normally may require verification (including a doctor’s note) for the use of PSST after three consecutive workdays in which the employee uses paid sick/safe leave. But effective immediately and through June 7, 2020, employers may not require a doctor’s note or healthcare provider…