Employers are required to provide a notice to their employees. here are some sample notices both for over 50 employees and for under 50 employees.
For companies with 50 or more employees:
WA Paid Family & Medical Leave rates will increase from .92% to 1.13%. The amount of the total premium employees will pay will decrease from 71.52% to 71.43% of the total rate. The PFML premiums are divided between the employer portion and the employee. The Company pays 28.57% of that rate. This change will take effect on the first paycheck in 2026- add the date of your payroll.
Below is a calculation of what the deduction would be for 2026 for an annual salary of $48,000 at $2000 per paycheck. If you want to know what that actual increase will look like on your paycheck, please view the formula below to help you estimate your premiums.
As a reminder, WA PFML covers an employee for their own medical leave or to take care of a family member for up to 12 weeks per year. The maximum weekly benefit will increase to $1,647 for 2026. You must have worked at least 820 hours for any employer in the prior 12 months before your leave.
Since Employment Security has not released their rate calculator for 2026. Below is some fun math stuff for you.
For $48,000 gross annual wages, the total employee per paycheck premium will be $16.14 per check.
If you like math this is how you can calculate your estimated premiums
$2,000 per paycheck gross
$2,000 x 1.13% ( total rate) – $22.60
Use $22.60 to calculate your portion of the 71.52%
$18.40 x .7143 = $16.14
_________ gross per paycheck x .0113 = __________
__________ x .7143 = __________ your premium
This premium is split between family leave and medical leave so you will see two charges on your paycheck as you do now. These charges will add up to the total premium.
For companies with less than 50 employees:
WA Paid Family & Medical Leave rates will increase from .92% to 1.13%. The amount of the total premium employees will pay will decrease from 71.52% to 71.43% of the total rate. This change will take effect on the first paycheck in 2026- add date of your first payroll.
Below is a calculation of what the deduction would be for 2026 for an annual salary of $48,000 at $2000 per paycheck. If you want to know what that actual increase will look like on your paycheck, please view the formula below to help you estimate your premiums.
As a reminder, WA PFML covers an employee for their own medical leave or to take care of a family member for up to 12 weeks per year. The maximum weekly benefit will increase to $1,647 for 2026. You must have worked at least 820 hours for any employer in the prior 12 months before your leave.
Since Employment Security has not released their rate calculator for 2026. Below is some fun math stuff for you.
For $48,000 gross annual wages, the total employee per paycheck premium will be $16.14 per check.
If you like math this is how you can calculate your estimated premiums
$2,000 per paycheck gross
$2,000 x 1.13% ( total rate) – $22.60
Use $22.60 to calculate your portion of the 71.52%
$18.40 x .7143 = $16.14
_________ gross per paycheck x .0113 = __________
__________ x .7143 = __________ your premium
This premium is split between family leave and medical leave so you will see two charges on your paycheck as you do now. These charges will add up to the total premium.