Washington took a stand for working families. Other states must follow | Gene Marks

Under Washington’s law, workers can take up to 18 weeks for combined family and medical paid leave a year – and some businesses are surprisingly behind it

Employers in Washington state – regardless of their size – are preparing for a new paid family leave law that takes effect on 1 January.

The law requires almost all employers to collect and remit new premiums, and fulfill new reporting and notice requirements. Under the law, workers can take up to 18 weeks for combined family and medical paid leave a year and earn up to $1,000 a week (depending on their salary) for things such as the birth of a child, a serious illness or to care for a sick family member.