Paid leave claim period

AN ACT Relating to modifying the claim period duration for the 1
paid family and medical leave program; and amending RCW 50A.15.020.2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:3
Sec. 1. RCW 50A.15.020 and 2025 c 304 s 4 are each amended to 4
read as follows: 5
(1) Beginning January 1, 2020, family and medical leave are 6
available and benefits are payable to a qualified employee under this 7
section. 8
(a) Following a waiting period consisting of the first seven 9
consecutive calendar days, benefits are payable when family or 10
medical leave is required. However, no waiting period is required for 11
leave for the birth or placement of a child, or for leave because of 12
any qualifying exigency as defined under RCW 50A.05.010(10)(c). The 13
waiting period begins the previous Sunday of the week when an 14
otherwise eligible employee takes leave for the minimum claim 15
duration under subsection (2)(c) of this section. Eligible employees 16
may satisfy the waiting period requirement while simultaneously 17
receiving paid time off for any part of the waiting period.18
(b) Benefits may continue during the continuance of the need for 19
family or medical leave, subject to the maximum and minimum weekly 20
S-3783.1
SENATE BILL 6143
State of Washington 69th Legislature 2026 Regular Session
By Senator King
p. 1 SB 6143
benefits, duration, and other conditions and limitations established 1
in this title. 2
(2) The weekly benefit shall be prorated by the percentage of 3
hours on leave compared to the number of hours provided as the 4
typical workweek hours as defined in RCW 50A.05.010.5
(a) The benefits in this section, if not a multiple of one 6
dollar, shall be reduced to the next lower multiple of one dollar.7
(b) Hours on leave claimed for benefits under this title, if not 8
a multiple of one hour, shall be reduced to the next lower multiple 9
of one hour. 10
(c) The minimum claim duration payment is for four consecutive 11
hours of leave. 12
(3)(a) The maximum duration of paid family leave may not exceed 13
12 times the typical workweek hours during a period of ((52)) 78 14
consecutive calendar weeks. 15
(b) The maximum duration of paid medical leave may not exceed 12 16
times the typical workweek hours during a period of ((52)) 78 17
consecutive calendar weeks. This leave may be extended an additional 18
two times the typical workweek hours if the employee experiences a 19
serious health condition with a pregnancy that results in incapacity.20
(c) An employee is not entitled to paid family and medical leave 21
benefits under this title that exceeds a combined total of 16 times 22
the typical workweek hours. The combined total of family and medical 23
leave may be extended to 18 times the typical workweek hours if the 24
employee experiences a serious health condition with a pregnancy that 25
results in incapacity. 26
(4)(a) Any paid leave benefits under this chapter used in the 27
postnatal period by an employee eligible for benefits under RCW 28
50A.05.010(23)(a)(ii)(B) must be medical leave, subject to the 29
maximum and minimum weekly benefits, duration, and other conditions 30
and limitations established in this title, unless the employee 31
chooses to use family leave during the postnatal period.32
(b) Certification of a serious health condition is not required 33
for paid leave benefits used in the postnatal period by an employee 34
eligible for benefits under RCW 50A.05.010(23)(a)(ii)(B).35
(5) The weekly benefit for family and medical leave shall be 36
determined as follows: If the employee's average weekly wage is: (a) 37
Equal to or less than one-half of the state average weekly wage, then 38
the benefit amount is equal to 90 percent of the employee's average 39
weekly wage; or (b) greater than one-half of the state average weekly 40
p. 2 SB 6143
wage, then the benefit amount is the sum of: (i) Ninety percent of 1
one-half of the state average weekly wage; and (ii) 50 percent of the 2
difference of the employee's average weekly wage and one-half of the 3
state average weekly wage. 4
(6)(a) The maximum weekly benefit for family and medical leave 5
that occurs on or after January 1, 2020, shall be $1,000. By 6
September 30, 2020, and by each subsequent September 30th, the 7
commissioner shall adjust the maximum weekly benefit amount to 90 8
percent of the state average weekly wage. The adjusted maximum weekly 9
benefit amount takes effect on the following January 1st.10
(b) The minimum weekly benefit shall not be less than $100 per 11
week except that if the employee's average weekly wage at the time of 12
family or medical leave is less than $100 per week, the weekly 13
benefit shall be the employee's full wage. 14
--- END ---
p. 3 SB 6143