We’re writing with a BIG announcement for the New Year: Washington State is expecting...Paid Family and Medical Leave! You might qualify for up to 16 weeks of paid time off from work beginning in 2020! And you can help your friends, family, and neighbors benefit too.

Check out MomsRising’s BRAND NEW multilingual website to learn all about Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave program (and how you might qualify): momsrising.org/paidleavewa.  

→ And you can take action to improve access to paid leave for all Washington families by sharing this website far and wide. Just forward this email or post the website link on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram -- even better, share it in person! The more people who know about the program, the better! 

*You’ve got questions and we’ve got answers! Head over to momsrising.org/paidleavewa to learn more about eligibility, calculate your benefit, and get the tools you need to take action in your community. The website is available in English, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Russian, Somali, and Vietnamese too.  

*When did this all happen? In 2017 Washington legislators came together in a bipartisan effort to pass a best-in-nation paid family and medical leave policy for Washington workers. The funding structure will begin in January of 2019; and then workers and businesses will start using Paid Family and Medical Leave in January 2020.  

*What does Paid Family and Medical Leave mean for you and your family? Workers will soon be able to bond with a new child, care for a critically sick family member, or recover from their own serious illness or injury without having to worry about losing a paycheck. This is HUGE and it is in no small part due to moms, dads, and family members like you raising your voices for a strong policy that meets the needs of Washington families. 

---> But our work isn’t over! Your help is needed to be sure that all Washingtonians, including your own family members, friends, and neighbors, can benefit from the new program. That’s why we’re excited to share that MomsRising has launched a new multilingual website all about Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program: momsrising.org/paidleavewa. Please share this resource far and wide with your networks too!

Why are we sharing this news now? Well, because we’re celebrating a major milestone in the new program this month. Starting this month, employees and some employers will begin making modest contributions to the statewide insurance pool that will fund the program. The average worker will contribute just over $2 per week -- less than the cost of a cup of coffee! -- from their paycheck. And everyone will benefit!

Help spread the good news about all that Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical program offers for workers and businesses alike! Share our new multilingual website: momsrising.org/paidleavewa.

*Want the details? Beginning January 2020, Washington’s new Paid Family and Medical Leave program will make it possible for workers to be there for family during times of joy and times of sorrow. Each year, workers will be able to take 12 weeks of paid family leave to bond with a new child after birth, adoption, or foster placement or to care for a seriously ill family member including a spouse, parent, child (including adult children), sibling, grandchild, or grandparent. Workers can also take 12 weeks of paid medical leave to recover from their own serious medical condition. Workers can combine family and medical leave to receive 16 weeks of paid leave per year, and birth parents who experience pregnancy complications can receive 18 weeks of paid leave per year. 

*What does Paid Family and Medical Leave mean for small businesses? Business owners with fewer than 50 employees will have the option of contributing to the insurance pool or not – their employees will receive benefits from the Washington Employment Security Department either way. And businesses that contribute premiums and have fewer than 150 employees can receive small business assistance to help cover costs while an employee is on leave. 

Together, we passed a one of a kind paid family and medical leave policy that will lift Washington’s families, businesses, and economy. But our work doesn’t stop here! Our work is needed now to be sure that all Washingtonians benefit from Paid Family and Medical Leave. And that work begins with you! 

---> Visit momsrising.org/paidleavewa to learn how you can make a difference in your community! Multiply your impact by sharing the website far and wide on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, via email, telephone, and in person. We have to get the word out so everyone can benefit from this new program that lifts businesses, families, and our economy alike!

Thank you for all that you do each and every day for families across Washington State.