Washington
State may be one of the first states to pass a paid family leave law, if a
proposed bill passes the state house and secures the Governor's
signature (highly likely given Governor Christine Gregoire's stance on
related issues).
Senate Bill 5659,
the Family Leave Insurance Bill, passed the Washington State Senate
earlier this week. If it becomes law, businesses would be
required to give eligible employees up to 5 weeks of paid family leave
to care for a new baby, adoptive child, ill family member, spouse, or
for personal sick leave.
The payout for sick leave would be
capped at $250 per week and would adjust with inflation. To cover
the cost of the program, and estimated $100 million per year, the bill
proposes to hike payroll taxes by 2 cents per hour per employee.
If the law passes, it will be the second most rich family leave policy
in the nation behind California. If you or anyone you know has ever
struggled to make up income during an unpaid maternity leave or to care
for a sick parent, you'll appreciate the improvement this would bring
to the lives of many families in Washington State.
