Washington just made paid family leave protections stronger, here’s what changed in 2026

If you’re a Washington worker who has been quietly worried that taking paid leave to care for a parent or partner might cost you your job or your health coverage, the rules just shifted in your favor. As of January 1, 2026, House Bill 1213 expanded Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program in ways that meaningfully widen who’s protected.[1]

What changed in 2026

Before this year, you only had job-protection rights under PFML if you worked for an employer with 50 or more employees, had worked there for at least 12 months, and had logged at least 1,250 hours in that time. The new amendments rewrite those thresholds:[1]

• Employer-size threshold drops. In 2026, employers with 25 or more employees must provide job protection. That falls again to 15 in 2027, and to 8 in 2028.
• Service requirement drops to 180 days. You now qualify after about six months with your employer, down from a full year.
• Hours-worked minimum is gone. The old 1,250-hour threshold for job protection is eliminated.
• Health coverage continues. If you qualify for job protection, your employer must keep your health benefits in place during your leave (you continue to pay your usual share of the premium). Previously, this was only guaranteed if your PFML leave overlapped with federal FMLA.

Why this matters for caregivers

The single most common reason caregivers don’t take paid leave they qualify for, even when they desperately need it, is fear of losing their job or their health insurance. These amendments tighten exactly those protections, and they reach a lot of smaller employers where most jobs actually are.

If you’re caring for a family member with a serious health condition in Washington and you’ve been on the fence about applying, this is worth a fresh look. The official program details and application live at paidleave.wa.gov.

One caveat: the Employment Security Department noted on its job-protection page that some details were still being finalized at the end of 2025, so it’s worth checking the latest official guidance before you act.[1]