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The Daily Insight

Does Washington have paid parental leave?

Author

Andrew Mclaughlin

Updated on February 25, 2026

Eligible employees (mothers as well as fathers) in Washington state will have the right to 12 paid weeks of parental leave upon the birth or adoption of a child. Finally, paid leave will also be available to employees if they or a family member has a serious health condition.

How long is Washington paid family leave?

12 weeks
In general, Washington workers are eligible for up to 12 weeks of Paid Family and Medical Leave per year.

How much do you get paid on maternity leave in Washington State?

Washington uses a sliding scale to calculate your paid maternity leave benefit. Workers who earn less than the state’s weekly average receive 90 percent of their income, while those who make more are paid 50 percent of their wages for any income they earn above that amount (capped at $1,206 per week in 2021).

Is FMLA paid in Washington?

Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave system took effect on Jan 1, 2020. Anyone working 820 hours in a year (about 40% of a full-time, 40-hour week job) can now take leave to care for a baby or family member, with up to 90% of regular pay covered by the state of Washington.

How long is maternity leave WA?

Eligible employees who are the primary carer of a newborn or newly adopted child get up to 18 weeks’ PLP, which is paid at the National Minimum Wage.

How is Washington paid family leave calculated?

1. If employee average weekly wage is LESS THAN ½ state average weekly wage: If the employee makes less than half of the state’s average weekly wage ($595*), the weekly benefit is equal to 90% of the employee’s average weekly wage, rounded down to the nearest dollar with a minimum of $100.

Who is eligible for WA state paid family leave?

Nearly every Washington worker can qualify for paid leave as long as you worked a minimum of 820 hours (about 16 hours a week) in Washington over the last year. The 820 hours can be at one job or combined from multiple jobs. Full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal work counts.

Who pays for Washington paid family leave?

Paid Family and Medical Leave is funded by premiums paid by employees and employers. For 2020 and 2021, the Paid Family and Medical Leave premium is 0.4 percent of each employee’s gross wages, not including tips, up to the Social Security cap ($137,700 in 2020; $142,800 in 2021).

What is Washington paid family leave?

Paid Family and Medical Leave is a new benefit for Washington workers. It’s here for you when a serious health condition prevents you from working or when you need time to care for a family member, bond with a new child or spend time with a family member preparing for military service overseas.

What states have parental leave?

State of Paid Parental Leave in the United States Today. Today, in the United States, paid parental leave is rare, with only three states offering it: New Jersey, California, and Rhode Island (four to six weeks of partial pay).

What states have paid parental leave?

Today, in the United States, paid parental leave is rare, with only three states offering it: New Jersey, California, and Rhode Island (four to six weeks of partial pay).

How long does paid parental leave take to get paid?

Parental Leave Pay is paid for a maximum period of 18 weeks at the national minimum wage , which is about $719 a week before tax. This amounts to about $12,948 over the 18 weeks. The amount that will be taken out in tax depends on your individual circumstances.

How much do you get paid for parental leave?

Employees’ weekly parental leave payments equal the greater of: up to the maximum weekly amount of $606.46 gross (gross means before any deductions eg income tax) per week. Some employees qualify for parental leave payments by adding together their hours from more than one job to meet the 10 hours a week criteria.