PFML grants/school districts

AN ACT Relating to expanding access to grants within the paid 1
family and medical leave insurance program for small school 2
districts; and amending RCW 50A.24.010. 3
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:4
Sec. 1. RCW 50A.24.010 and 2019 c 13 s 36 are each amended to 5
read as follows: 6
(1) The legislature recognizes that while family leave and 7
medical leave benefit both employees and employers, there may be 8
costs that disproportionately impact small businesses and small 9
school districts. To equitably balance the risks among employers, the 10
legislature intends to assist small businesses and small school 11
districts with the costs of an employee's use of family or medical 12
leave. 13
(2) The following employers may apply to the department for a 14
grant under this section:15
(a) Employers with ((one hundred fifty or fewer )) 51 to 150 16
employees ((and employers));17
(b) Employers with ((fifty)) 50 or fewer employees who are 18
assessed all premiums under RCW 50A.10.030(5)(b) ((may apply to the 19
department for a grant under this section)); or20
S-0109.1
SENATE BILL 5378
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2025 Regular Session
By Senators Stanford, Cortes, Harris, Wellman, Slatter, Krishnadasan,
Lovelett, Nobles, and Valdez
Read first time 01/20/25. Referred to Committee on Labor & Commerce.
p. 1 SB 5378
(c) Employers classified as school districts of the second class 1
as provided in RCW 28A.300.065. 2
(3)(a) An employer may receive a grant of three thousand dollars 3
if the employer hires a temporary worker to replace an employee on 4
family or medical leave for a period of seven days or more.5
(b) For an employee's family or medical leave, an employer may 6
receive a grant of up to one thousand dollars as reimbursement for 7
significant additional wage-related costs due to the employee's 8
leave. 9
(c) An employer may receive a grant under (a) or (b) of this 10
subsection, but not both, except that an employer who received a 11
grant under (b) of this subsection may receive a grant of the 12
difference between the grant awarded under (b) of this subsection and 13
three thousand dollars if the employee on leave extended the leave 14
beyond the leave initially planned and the employer hired a temporary 15
worker for the employee on leave. 16
(4) An employer may apply for a grant no more than ten times per 17
calendar year and no more than once for each employee on leave.18
(5) To be eligible for a grant, the employer must provide the 19
department written documentation showing the temporary worker hired 20
or significant wage-related costs incurred are due to an employee's 21
use of family or medical leave. 22
(6) The department must assess an employer with fewer than fifty 23
employees who receives a grant under this section for all premiums 24
for three years from the date of receipt of a grant.25
(7) The grants under this section shall be funded from the family 26
and medical leave insurance account. 27
(8) The commissioner shall adopt rules as necessary to implement 28
this section. 29
(9) For the purposes of this section, the number of employees 30
must be calculated as provided in RCW 50A.10.030. 31
(10) An employer who has an approved voluntary plan is not 32
eligible to receive a grant under this section. 33
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p. 2 SB 5378