TACOMA – In the five years since Washington launched one of the nation’s most generous paid family and medical leave programs, customers have submitted more than 1 million applications and have received more than $5 billion in benefits.
On Wednesday, Gov. Jay Inslee, Employment Security Department Commissioner Cami Feek, legislators, customers and community leaders highlighted the growing impact of the state’s Paid Family & Medical Leave program.
“Our Paid Leave program has made it possible for hundreds of thousands of Washingtonians to care for a new baby, care for an ill family member, or care for themselves during the most difficult of circumstances,” Inslee said. “I’m incredibly proud that Washington has led the way on this effort. I applaud the legislators and community leaders who put this in motion, and the agency staff who make this possible.”
Employment Security administers the Paid Leave program, which allows eligible Washington workers to take paid time off when they need it most to care for themselves or family members.
Feek, who helped build the Paid Leave program and was its seventh employee back in October 2017, said the milestones show the state’s dedication to investing in working Washingtonians.
“Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave program is a model for other states in the nation,” Feek said. “We’re proud how far the program has come in such a short time. We still have plenty of work to do to ensure all working Washingtonians are aware of the program and can access the benefits they’ve earned.”
In addition to Gov. Inslee and Commissioner Feek, speakers at Wednesday’s Paid Leave celebration included state Sen. Karen Keiser, who sponsored Senate Bill 5975 – the bill that led to the program’s creation.
Other speakers were:
- Kisha-Marie Schnereger, Orting resident and benefits user.
- Maggie Humphreys, Paid Leave Advisory Committee member; and MomsRising, senior director, Washington state.
- Linda Hammond, customer benefits specialist from Employment Security’s Paid Leave program.
Members of the Paid Leave Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of Washington employees and employers, also attended.
In July 2019, Paid Leave began collecting employer wage reports and premiums. In January 2020, eligible individuals began applying for benefits. For more Paid Leave dates, see our timeline history.
Event details, including photos and interviews with speakers, will be published on Employment Security’s blog.
Paid Family & Medical Leave by the numbers
As of June 30, Washington’s Paid Family & Medical Leave program has:
- Paid $5 billion on more than 778,000 claims.
- Paid more than 512,000 Washingtonians.
- Approved 984,263 applications.
- Approved 778,595 applications that had at least one payment.
- Approved at least one payment to 512,652 unique customers.
- Approved 204,152,783 hours of leave.
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