The legislative session is in full swing. It is hard to believe that we are already a quarter of the way through the 60-day session.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had the pleasure of meeting with constituents from across the 10th Legislative District, including; teachers, conservationists, healthcare providers, small business owners, students, farmers, and first responders.
Meeting with these groups inspired me to make a short video with tips for maximizing your time with legislators and other elected officials.
I’d also like to take a minute to recognize a major milestone for Washington families. Three years ago the Legislature passed the Paid Family and Medical Leave Act to promote family stability and economic security.
The program, funded by a small premium paid by both employers and employees, allows qualifying workers to take paid leave to care for a new child, a family member, or themselves. It also provides leave for military families for certain service-connected events.
Employers began collecting premiums for the program last January and benefits began this January.
Here’s a quick overview of what you need to know about Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave Program:
- Do I qualify? You do if you worked 820 hours in 2019 in Washington state.
- When can I start applying? Right now! Benefits are available as of January 1, 2020.
- How much time can I take? 12 weeks of paid leave a year for qualifying events, but it can be extended to up to 18 weeks in some cases. Important: you don’t have to take all your leave at once.
- What’s a qualifying event?
- Having a new baby or adopting a child
- You or a family member has a serious illness or injury
- A family member who is in the military is about to be deployed or has just returned from overseas deployment
- How much do I get paid when I take paid leave? You could receive up to 90 percent of your weekly pay — up to a maximum of $1,000 a week
- How much is this costing me? If you earn $50,000 a year, less than $2.50 is taken out of each paycheck
For more information, visit the Paid Family and Medical Leave website.
As always, if you have any thoughts, ideas, or concerns, please contact me.
Thank you,
Rep. Dave Paul
Dave.Paul@leg.wa.gov
(360) 786-7914