History

The path to Paid Family and Medical Leave

2015: Governor Jay Inslee secured a federal grant to begin designing a paid family leave program.

2017: The Washington State Legislature approved Senate Bill 5975 during the 2017 legislative session. The new law went into effect on October 19, 2017.

Final Bill Report
Session Law

2020: The program is administered by the Employment Security Department. Eligible individuals began applying for benefits starting January 2020.

Research that informed the program

Project fact sheet

Final project summary

PowerPoint presentation: Findings from a Survey of Registered Voters Statewide

PowerPoint presentation: Washington Paid Leave Interviews with Employers

Report: Cost, Leave and Length Estimates Using Eight Different Leave Program Schemes for Washington

Report: Washington Paid Leave Preliminary Estimates

Report: Washington Paid Leave The Effect of State Paid Maternity Leave on SNAP and TANF