Washington Paid
Family and Medical
Leave (WA PFML)
Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (WA PFML) provides wage replacement benefits to eligible employees who need time off from work for qualifying reasons. Employees may be eligible if they are sick or hurt and cannot work, including during pregnancy. Employees may also be eligible to take leave to bond with a new child, care for a family member who has a serious health condition or to address a qualifying military exigency for a family member’s military duty.
Employers can participate in the state-run program, or they can self-insure a voluntary plan.
MetLife offers self-insured WA PFML plans. Voluntary plans can be for PFML, PML only, or PFL only.
Benefit Overview
Mandated Coverage & Employee Eligibility
HintLeave Reason, Duration, Job Protection
HintCost of Coverage and Contributions
HintBenefit Payments
HintEmployers are required to offer WA PFML benefits if they have at least one employee working in Washington and may do so either through the state-run program, or through a self-insured voluntary plan.
All employees working for a covered employer are eligible for benefits if they have worked at least 820 hours (about 16 hours per week) in Washington within the first four of the five completed calendar quarters (commonly known as the qualifying period).
Federal employees, self-employed individuals, and employees of a tribally-owned business on tribal land are excluded from the program, but self-employed individuals and federally recognized tribes may opt in to the state-run program.
Employees can receive part of their pay and may also be eligible for job protection* if they need to take time off for certain reasons. Job protection may also be provided through other federal or state laws such as the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
An employee may be eligible for a total of up to 16 weeks of PFL and PML leave combined.
Medical Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- address a personal serious health condition or injury, including organ or bone marrow donations (an extra 2 weeks for qualifying pregnancy or childbirth complications)
Family Leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks to:
- bond with a new child
- care for a family member with a serious health condition
- assist while loved ones are on overseas military deployment
A one-time, 7-day waiting period is required per 12-month benefit period, except for medical leave for birth of a child, family leave for child bonding, child bereavement, or military exigency. The waiting period does not reduce the total number of allotted weeks for PFL or PML.
Leave can be taken all at once, intermittently, or on a reduced leave schedule. An employee may need to provide proof of the need for an intermittent leave.
* Job protection may apply if an employee works for a company that employs at least 50 people in Washington, has worked for the company for at least a year, and has completed at least 1,250 hours worked.
Beginning January 1, 2025, the total contribution for the state-run program is 0.92% of an employee’s taxable wages (excluding tips). The employee's maximum contribution is 71.52% of the state rate or up to $1,158.71. In 2025, Washington’s employee taxable wage base is determined by the Social Security taxable maximum, or $176,100.
MetLife can provide claim administration for self-insured private plans. Employers are allowed to collect payroll contributions up to the state’s maximums and use the funds to pay benefits. Service fees paid to support the operating costs for state approved self-insured plans are the employer’s responsibility.
Please visit the state program’s website for the latest state rates and additional state plan information.
The benefit amount an employee can receive depends on how much money they make weekly compared to others in Washington.
After a 7-day waiting period (if applicable) employees are eligible for up to $1,542 maximum per week in 2025.
Here’s how benefits are calculated:
- If an employee's average weekly pay is equal or less than 50% of Washington’s average weekly wage, they can receive 90% of their average weekly pay.
- If an employee's average weekly pay is more than 50% of Washington’s average weekly wage, an employee can receive the sum of 90% of one half of the state’s average weekly wage, plus 50% of the difference between the employee's average weekly wage and one half of the state’s average weekly wage.
Key Dates
- Contribution rates are effective and will be 0.92% of an employee’s wages (excluding tips) with a maximum employee contribution of 71.52% of the state rate or $1,158.71
- State Average Weekly Wage of $1,714 impacts benefit calculations
Applying for a MetLife Voluntary Plan & Employer Requirements
To obtain a quote from MetLife you or your broker must create a census of your eligible Washington workforce and send it to MetLife. This census template was developed for your convenience.
The state only allows self-insured voluntary plans, and MetLife offers self-insured WA PFML plans.
You will need to work with your own employment counsel to define your WA PFML plan to submit to the state for approval.
This generic WA PFML voluntary plan template can help you draft your voluntary plan. Please note, it only includes basic plan design information and will need to be updated to comply with current state program regulations. Additionally, you will need to work with your own employment counsel to define your WA PFML plan. Review the state's voluntary plan guide for more information about what your self-insured plan should include.
Gather all documents necessary and apply. To submit your plan, visit the state’s site. Additional information about the application process can be found here.
The application review and decision process will take at least 30 days from when the application is received by the Employment Security Department (ESD). There is a non-refundable application fee of $250.
If your voluntary plan has been denied, you have the option to appeal with the state. If ultimately denied, you will be required to use the state-run program.
Your voluntary plan will take effect on the first day of the next quarter following the approval from the state. A voluntary plan must be in place for at least one year after it has been accepted.
If you choose to have a voluntary plan for only either PFL or PML, your employees will use the state-run program for the other benefit that is not covered in your plan.
Once approved, please provide MetLife with a copy of your state approved WA PFML voluntary plan. Claim administration services may be delayed if MetLife does not receive this in a timely manner.
Employee contributions to the voluntary plan must be held in trust. This includes interest or other income arising from these contributions from an approved voluntary plan. These funds held in trust are not considered part of an employer's assets and must be held in a separate, specifically identifiable account in a financial institution.
You are required to post a notice in a place typically used to post other employment-related notices. You must also share the notice each year and upon hire. The WA PFML poster can be found here.
Additionally, if an employee has taken time off for at least seven days for a life event that may be eligible for WA PFML, the employer has five business days to provide a separate state designated employee notice of Paid Family and Medical Leave benefits to the impacted employee.
Reporting requirements
If your voluntary plan is approved, you will still need to submit quarterly reports, though you will not be assessed state WA PFML premiums. If your approved voluntary plan covers only PML or only PFL, you must report and pay premiums to the state-run program for the benefit not covered in your plan.
Quarterly reporting for your voluntary plan will include information about wages and hours worked for all employees. If requested by the state, you may also need to report claim information for employees who take leave. As a result, you must keep claim records and employee information for at minimum six years.
An assessment fee of $250 is due to the state annually.
Reporting is due as follows:
Q1 Due: April 30
Q2 Due: July 31
Q3 Due: October 31
Q4 Due: January 31
Annual reviews and making changes to your voluntary plan with Washington
For the first three years, the state will review your plan annually to ensure it still meets the requirements of the program. After three years, you’ll need to resubmit only if you make a change that is not legally required. If you make additional changes to your plan that are not legally required, you may need to submit a new application and fee.
You can amend your voluntary plan as needed. Amendments that are not required by statutory changes must be submitted to the state along with a $250 fee. Additionally, you must update your plan with any relevant statutory changes and notify employees of the changes at least 10 days before the state approves your updates.
Taking a Leave
Filing for Benefits with MetLife
HintSupporting Claim Documentation
HintCoordination of Benefits
HintStep 1: An employee should notify their employer of the need for a leave as soon as possible.
Step 2: An employee should file a claim up to 30 days in advance of the leave. If the leave is unforeseeable, claims may be submitted up to 30 days after the leave has begun.
Step 3: MetLife will gather any additional necessary information from the employer or employee to complete the claim. A decision and first benefit payment should be issued within 14 calendar days from receipt of all information or the first day of leave, whichever is later.
Step 4: If an employee’s claim is denied, they will appeal directly to the state. Appeal instructions can be found in the claim denial letter.
Employees must provide specific documents for each claim. It is important to submit paperwork to the doctor as soon as possible. It might take the doctor’s office two weeks or more to complete the paperwork. In some cases, a statement confirming the relationship between the employee and the family member may also be requested.
For the employee's own serious health condition (when the employee is sick or hurt and cannot work for an extended period):
- Certification of a Disability/Serious Health Condition form filled out by the employee and their healthcare provider, or
- A doctor’s note or Attending Physician Statement (APS) that includes the same information as the Certification form
For child bonding for a newborn:
- A copy of the child’s birth certificate, or
- A statement from the child’s healthcare provider stating the child’s date of birth, or
- A statement from the parent’s healthcare provider stating the child’s date of birth
For child bonding for adoption or foster care placement:
- A copy of adoption papers or court documents finalizing the adoption that includes child's date of birth and adoption date, or
- Documentation from the child’s healthcare provider, or
- Foster/adoption agency paperwork containing adoption or placement
- If the employee is not the parent named in the court documents (in loco parentis), the employee may also be asked to provide proof verifying their relationship to the in loco parentis named in the court documentation. This could be a marriage certificate, civil union papers, or something showing you are in a domestic partnership.
For child bereavement:
- Date of death and supporting documentation
For leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition, including medical events related to pregnancy or childbirth:
- Certification of a Disability/Serious Health Condition form filled out by the employee and their family member’s healthcare provider, or
- A doctor’s note or APS that includes the same information as the Certification of Serious Health Condition form
For qualifying military exigency needs, the employee will need to verify their family member’s service:
- Covered family member’s active-duty orders, or
- Letter from the military unit documenting impending call or order to covered duty, or
- Documentation of military leave signed by the approval authority for the military member’s Rest and Recuperation
- If leave is requested to meet with a third party, such as a school official, counselor, or attorney, the employee must provide documentation of the meeting that includes:
- The name, address, and contact information of the individual or entity with whom the employee is meeting
- A description of the meeting
Employees may be eligible for more than one leave.
WA PFML benefits and the federal Family & Medical Leave Act (FMLA) benefits can be used at the same time and should be used at the same time, when applicable. Employees who experience a pregnancy or childbirth related limitations may receive two (2) additional paid weeks which are classified as medical leave.
An employer may require employees to use WA PFML benefits and short-term or long term disability benefits at the same time. If the employee chooses not to apply for WA PML, their STD/LTD benefits may be impacted.
MetLife’s claims team will reach out to the employer to coordinate dates of the company leave that directly overlap with the state leave.
MetLife representatives can help review employer paid benefits that may overlap with the state leave. They can help document overlaps and preferred contact and action when the overlap happens.
Note: There may be additional leaves that MetLife does not administer. Employers may be responsible for providing additional leaves for their employees. Employers should consult their own employment attorneys to identify changes to their other employer-sponsored paid and unpaid leave plans.
Need more information?
FAQs
A child, grandchild, grandparent, parent, sibling, spouse, an individual who regularly resides in the employee’s home who relies on the employee’s care for them, or any person outside of the employee’s home who relies on the employee as a caregiver.
As of December 06, 2024