Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave

Quick Facts

• Benefit amount: Up to 90% of a worker’s weekly wage, capped at $1,544 per week in 2025.
• Duration: Standard entitlement is up to 12 weeks of family or medical leave, 16 weeks combined, and up to 18 weeks if pregnancy complications exist.
• Eligibility: Requires 820 hours worked in Washington during the qualifying period (first four of last five completed quarters or last four completed quarters).
• Funding: Jointly funded by employee and employer premiums collected through payroll. Employers with fewer than 50 employees are exempt from the employer share.
• Administration: Managed by the Washington Employment Security Department (ESD) through an online portal where workers apply and file weekly claims.

Program Overview

Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program offers comprehensive wage replacement when employees need time off for major life events. Implemented in 2020, the program covers both personal medical leave (including recovery from a serious health condition) and family leave to bond with a child or care for a loved one. Benefits are portable across employers; as long as you meet the hours threshold, you’re eligible even if you changed jobs.

The program sits alongside federal FMLA and Washington’s Family Care Act. PFML provides pay, while job protection depends on employer size and tenure. The Employment Security Department administers claims directly, meaning employees apply to the state rather than through their employer’s insurance carrier. Once approved, workers file weekly claims similar to unemployment insurance to receive payments.

Covered Reasons for Leave

1. Personal medical leave: Recovering from a serious health condition that makes you unable to work, including surgery, serious illnesses, or pregnancy-related complications.
2. Family leave: Bonding with a new child within the first 12 months after birth, adoption, or foster placement; caring for a family member with a serious health condition; or handling qualifying military family needs.
3. Family members covered: Spouse, domestic partner, child, parent, parent-in-law, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, and any individual who regularly relies on you for caregiving or personal services (in loco parentis relationships).

Eligibility Criteria

• Hours requirement: 820 hours worked in Washington during the qualifying period. Hours can include work for multiple employers, overtime, and certain paid leave.
• Employment status: W-2 employees are automatically covered. Some self-employed individuals (sole proprietors, independent contractors) can opt in by paying both employer and employee premiums for at least three years.
• Job protection: Employees working for an employer with 50+ employees who have worked there at least 12 months and 1,250 hours in the past year receive job protection under PFML. Smaller employers may still offer job protection voluntarily or through local ordinances.

Benefit Calculation

• Average weekly wage (AWW): Calculated using earnings in the qualifying period. The state determines your AWW by dividing total base-year wages by the number of weeks worked.
• Benefit formula: You receive up to 90% of your AWW, depending on income level. The benefit is the sum of 90% of your wages up to 50% of the state average weekly wage plus 50% of wages above that threshold. The maximum weekly benefit is $1,544 in 2025.
• Minimum benefit: $100 per week unless your wage was lower.
• Waiting period: There is a one-week waiting period for medical leave (not required for bonding leave). During that week, you do not receive payment but it counts toward your total leave entitlement.

Application Steps

1. Discuss plans with your employer. Provide 30 days’ notice if foreseeable. Employers can require this but cannot deny benefits for lack of notice if there was no opportunity to give it.
2. Collect necessary documents. Gather proof of identity (driver’s license, passport), wage information, and documents supporting the qualifying event (medical certification, birth certificate, adoption paperwork, or military orders).
3. Create an account at paidleave.wa.gov. Applications are submitted online through the Paid Leave portal. Paper forms are available upon request for those without internet access.
4. Complete the application. Provide employment history, hours worked, and the type of leave. Upload supporting documents. Medical leave requires form FMLA-1 completed by a health care provider.
5. Receive determination. ESD reviews applications and usually responds within two weeks. You’ll receive instructions on filing weekly claims once approved.
6. File weekly claims. Report hours worked, wages earned, and continued eligibility. Submit claims within 30 days of the week you’re requesting benefits. Payments are sent via direct deposit or a prepaid debit card.

Documentation Requirements

• Medical certification: Must specify the serious health condition, its expected duration, and the need for your care or your inability to work. Acceptable providers include physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and certain licensed midwives.
• Bonding documentation: Birth certificate, hospital record, adoption placement documents, or foster placement verification. Non-birthing parents can use a Voluntary Acknowledgment of Parentage.
• Military exigency documentation: Active duty orders, Rest and Recuperation orders, or other official communications indicating deployment.

Coordinating with Employers

Employers may offer supplemental benefits, such as topping off wages or providing additional paid leave. PFML benefits can be used concurrently with employer-provided paid time off if allowed, but total compensation cannot exceed regular wages. Communicate with HR to align schedules, avoid overpayments, and manage health insurance premiums. Employers must maintain health benefits during leave if you receive job protection.

Intermittent Leave and Scheduling

• Family leave: Can be taken intermittently down to eight-hour increments. Provide a schedule to ESD showing planned days off.
• Medical leave: Typically continuous, but intermittent leave is allowed if the medical certification supports it.
• Combined limits: You may take up to 12 weeks each of medical and family leave, with a combined maximum of 16 weeks (18 with pregnancy complications). Track your usage across employers, as the limit applies statewide.

Taxes and Reporting

PFML benefits are taxable at the federal level but not subject to Washington state income tax (Washington has no income tax). ESD issues Form 1099-G each January. You can request 10% federal withholding. Benefits do not count as wages for unemployment insurance purposes.

Strategies for Maximizing Benefits

1. Plan around the waiting week. For medical leave, coordinate with PTO to cover the unpaid waiting week if finances allow.
2. Leverage intermittent scheduling. For chronic conditions (chemotherapy, elder care), ask the provider to certify a longer duration to allow flexible use.
3. Track hours meticulously. Keep pay stubs and timesheets. If ESD records are incomplete, you can submit proof to meet the 820-hour threshold.
4. Coordinate with employer top-ups. Many Washington employers offer short-term disability or paid parental leave. Understand how the programs interact to maximize total pay.
5. Use combined leave wisely. Parents can split leave—one taking medical leave post-birth, then both using family leave to extend caregiving time.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Late weekly claims: Submit each weekly claim within 30 days. Late submissions may be denied, requiring appeals.
• Incomplete medical forms: Ensure providers fill out all sections, including start and end dates, diagnosis codes, and reasons you cannot work.
• Assuming automatic job protection: Verify employer size and tenure requirements. Smaller employers are not obligated to hold your job, so negotiate return plans in writing.
• Double-dipping with unemployment: You cannot receive PFML and unemployment simultaneously. Report any wages earned to avoid overpayments.

Appeals Process

If denied, you can submit a written appeal within 30 days of the decision. Appeals go to the Office of Administrative Hearings. Prepare documentation supporting your claim and attend the telephonic or virtual hearing. Further appeals can be filed with the Commissioner’s Review Office and Washington courts.

Example Scenarios

• Birth parent: Olivia worked 1,200 hours in the base year. After giving birth, she used 6 weeks of medical leave for recovery and 12 weeks of family leave for bonding. Her employer provided supplemental pay for the waiting week, and she coordinated health insurance premium payments via payroll deductions upon return.
• Caregiver for sibling: Marcus’s brother underwent a kidney transplant. The surgeon completed the medical certification, allowing Marcus to take intermittent leave two days per week for 10 weeks. Marcus submitted weekly claims only for the days he missed work.
• Self-employed opt-in: Priyanka, a freelance graphic designer, opted into PFML two years ago. She paid both employer and employee premiums. When her father had a stroke, she successfully claimed benefits after providing medical certification and proof of premiums.

Additional Support Resources

• Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave website
• How to apply guide
• Contact the Paid Leave Customer Care Team or call 833-717-2273
• Employer resources
• Paid Leave benefit calculator

Advanced Planning Tips

• Stack with Washington’s Paid Sick Leave: Use accrued paid sick leave to cover the waiting week or supplement PFML payments.
• Health insurance premium management: Arrange to pay your share of premiums during leave. Set reminders to prevent accidental loss of coverage.
• Communication log: Keep a log of all contacts with ESD, including dates, representatives, and topics. This is invaluable if issues arise.
• Return-to-work plan: Discuss flexible scheduling or transitional duties with your employer. PFML allows partial weeks; you can reduce hours temporarily and claim benefits for the missing time if medically supported.