Starting in January, Washington will become the fifth state to offer comprehensive leave, allowing employees to take up to 12 – and in some cases 18 – weeks off to care for a new child, a loved one or in the event of a medical emergency.

Marilyn Watkins with the Economic Opportunity Institute says the goal of this program is to make leave accessible to everyone.

"So that they can keep themselves healthy and be as healthy as they can be, that they can really nurture their young children, as well as care for those sick family members in ways that benefit the health and well-being of everybody."

Benefits are funded through a payroll premium of zero-point-four percent that began last January.

Watkins says employees who have worked 820 hours the previous year for any combination of employers are eligible.

"They'll get 90% of their gross wages before taxes and everything are taken out of it, so they'll get pretty close to what their full paycheck would be when they're out on leave. And middle-income workers here in Washington will actually also get higher benefits than they do in the other states that have existing programs."

The website paidleave.wa.gov has more information on how to apply.

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