Washington’s paid family leave program running short on cash

By RACHEL LA CORTE
Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state’s paid family leave program could hit a deficit as early as March and there are concerns about long-term solvency following a significant increase in demand for the benefit launched in 2020. Under the law, eligible workers receive 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child or for a serious medical condition of the worker or the worker’s family member, or 16 weeks for a combination of both. Officials with the Employment Security Department, which oversees the program, told lawmakers at a Senate Ways & Means Committee hearing last week that because of a significant increase in demand, there are concerns about the fund’s solvency and that a deficit was likely soon.