In May of 2025, Washington State passed Senate Bill 1213, which makes several changes to the state's Paid Family Leave program starting July 1st, 2026. Here is everything you need to know about the upcoming updates to Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML).
Effective January 1st, 2026, several key updates to Washington State Paid Family and Medical Leave went into effect.
These updates included:
Effective January 1st, 2026, the requirements for using leave changed.
Previously, even though leave did not have to be taken all at once, periods of leave used by employees were required to be at least 8 hours long. This is an important restriction, as part-time employees who worked 4-hour days need to take at least two days off from work to use PFML leave.
The updated law will allow employees to take a period of leave at least 4 hours long.
There are also several updates around job protection under WA PFML. These updates apply to which employees are entitled to job protection rights, and which employers are required to provide job protection.
Previously, employers with at least 50 employees were required to provide job protection to covered employees taking leave under WA PFML. Covered employees were those who had worked for 12 months or longer and had worked 1,250 hours in the year before the first day they took Paid Leave.
Starting January 1st, 2026, the definition of "covered employees" will change to someone who has satisfied 180 calendar days of employment with their employer.
Also effective January 1st, 2026, the first of a series of updates to which employers are required to provide job protection will take effect. Future updates are planned as follows:
The 2026 premium rate is 1.13 percent of each employee’s gross wages, not including tips, up to the 2026 Social Security cap ($184,500). For employers with 50 or more employees, the employer must cover at least 28.57% of the contribution.
Employers can cover more of the contribution as an employee benefit, and employers who aren't required to contribute may still do so, also as an employee benefit.
Getting contributions right is an important part of Washington Payroll Taxes.
In order to help companies make premium payments on time, Paid Leave began mailing billing statements to employers who owe $5 or more in past-due premiums starting in May 2026. Employers who owe less than $5 will not receive a billing statement.
Starting August 1st, 2026, any employers with overdue payments will be assessed a 1% monthly interest charge to their overdue balances. Employers may also be subject to the following additional penalties:
Overdue premiums will be referred to collections after 90 days.
Beginning January 1, 2026, Washington State implemented several updates to its Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program. These changes include new rules for how leave can be used, expanded job protection eligibility, broader employer coverage requirements, and updated premium rates. These changes stem from Senate Bill 1213, passed in 2025.
Additional changes were implemented in May, and more are coming in August 2026 as well.
Yes. Prior to 2026, employees generally had to take PFML leave in increments of at least eight hours. Effective January 1, 2026, employees can take leave in increments as short as four hours. This makes it easier for part-time employees and others who need shorter periods of leave to use the benefit.
As of January 1, 2026, employees qualify for job protection after completing 180 calendar days of employment with their employer. Previously, employees had to work for the employer for at least 12 months and complete 1,250 hours of work during the previous year to qualify.
The 2026 PFML premium rate is 1.13% of each employee's gross wages, excluding tips, up to the annual Social Security wage cap of $184,500. Employers with 50 or more employees must pay at least 28.57% of the total premium, although they may choose to contribute more as an employee benefit. Employers with fewer than 50 employees are not required to pay the employer portion but may do so voluntarily.
PayNW helps companies track and report relevant employees' hours and wages to the State, and manage compliance and administration with laws such as Washington State Paid Family Medical Leave.
If your business is struggling with tracking hours, wages, or overall compliance requirements, get in touch and explore how we can help.