Paid leave in WA! by Marilyn Watkins (4)
Posted 10 May, 2007 in Uncategorized
On May 8, 2007, Washington became the second state in the nation to adopt paid family leave for all new parents, when Governor Christine Gregoire signed SB 5659 into law. A coalition of over 50 organizations and businesses succeeded in moving this bill through the legislative process, despite powerful opposition from entrenched lobbyists. We are thrilled that our state has taken this historic first step. We hope our victory helps other states move forward, too.Washington’s paid family leave program will guarantee up to 5 weeks paid time off to parents taking leave from work to care for a newborn or newly adopted child beginning in October, 2009. Benefits will start at $250 per week, pro-rated for part-time workers. Everyone who has worked at least 680 hours in the previous year will be eligible, regardless of firm size. Workers in companies with more than 25 employees who have been with that employer a full year will also have job protection.
As originally introduced, the bill also included leave for the serious health condition of the worker or a close family member. The full program would have been funded by a 2 cent per hour payroll tax, paid by workers. However, the legislature removed leave for a serious health condition, and also created a taskforce to recommend a funding mechanism for the program before the legislature convenes again in 2008.
Washington’s new paid family leave program will assure that every child born in our state gets the best possible start in life. Paid family leave is a key part of our state’s commitment to health and educational success for all our children, and to the kind of economic growth that leads to broadly shared prosperity.
Paid family leave is the best kind of Mother’s Day present for 21st century parents. Literally thousands of parents and grandparents across Washington sent emails, photos, and cookies to their legislators, urging them to support the paid family leave bill. For me personally, the bill signing on May 8th was particularly poignant, coming on the 22nd anniversary of the day I became a mother.
More information about the new program and the history of the bill’s enactment is available at www.eoionline.org.
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