经济援助 · state
WA Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML)
WA Employment Security Department
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) is a state-administered insurance program that replaces a portion of wages for workers who take time off to care for a seriously ill family member, bond with a new child, recover from their own serious illness, or handle a qualifying military exigency. For senior caregivers, the relevant benefits are Family Leave (caring for a family member with a serious health condition) and Medical Leave (your own health), each up to 12 weeks per claim year, with a combined maximum of 16 weeks in a year. Premiums are split between employer and worker for most employers. Self-employed workers can opt in.
谁符合资格
Worked at least 820 hours in Washington for any employer (or combination of employers) during the qualifying year (roughly the four quarters before the claim). Family member definitions are broad and include parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, spouse, sibling, child, and any individual with a relationship equivalent to a family relationship. The care recipient must have a serious health condition certified by a healthcare provider.
包含哪些内容
Up to 12 weeks of Family Leave plus up to 12 weeks of Medical Leave, capped at 16 combined weeks per year. Wage replacement is calculated as a percentage of the worker's average weekly wage, from approximately 50% up to 90% for lower earners. 2026 maximum weekly benefit is $1,647. Most employers must continue health insurance and restore the worker to an equivalent position upon return.
费用
No cost to apply or to take leave. Funded by a small payroll premium that every W-2 worker in WA already pays; workers do not pay anything extra at claim time.
怎么申请
Apply online at paidleave.wa.gov. Get a serious-health-condition certification form signed by the care recipient's healthcare provider, then file a claim and submit weekly claims while on leave. ESD typically issues a decision within 14 days of a complete application. Notify your employer in advance when possible (30 days for foreseeable leave).