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Government Affairs Resources

    Moving forward, it is important everyone begins to build a relationship with their specific representatives through letters, phone calls, and meetings as legislation on HR issues grows in the new year.

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    Legislative Resources

    Resources

    WA State Legislators contact & bill information

    www.leg.wa.gov

    Media contact information

    www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/media

    WA Leg. Review & media clips

    www.tvw.org

    US Senate News

    www.help.senate.gov/index.html

    National News

    www.governing.com/legis.htm

    WA Alliance for a competitive economy

    http://www.washace.com/

    Bill Tracker

    http://www.govtrack.us/

    Association of WA Business

    http://awb.org/

    SHRM HR Voice Advocacy

    www.shrm.org

    Suggested actions are recommendations provided by SHRM or the Association for WA Business. Our intent is to provide members with information to advance economic climate which enables employers, employees, and all citizens to prosper.

     

    Effective 01/01/2022

    • Collect higher WA PFML premiums in 2022:
      • As of January 1, 2022, both the premiums and maximum weekly benefits have increased for Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program.
      • The premium rate has increased to 0.6% of each employee’s gross wages (not including tips).
      • The split between employers and employees for paying these premiums has also changed. Employers with 50 or more employees now pay 26.78% of the total premiums, while the employee pays 73.22%.
      • Employers with fewer than 50 employees still aren’t required to pay any premiums for this program but must withhold the employee’s share of the premiums and submit those premiums to the Employment Security Department (ESD).
      • The maximum weekly benefit amount available to an employee on PFML has also increased as of January 1, 2022, from $1,206 to $1,327. These changes are reflected in the 2022 PFML poster that employers must display in their workplaces.
    • WA State Minimum Wage: $14.49/hr, up from $13.69/hour in 2021.
      • City of Seattle Minimum Wage: $17.27/hour.
      • City of SeaTac Minimum Wage: $17.53/hour.
    • WA State Overtime Exemptions: To be exempt from overtime, an employee must earn at least $1,014.30 a week ($52,743.60 a year), or 1.75 times the minimum wage.
    • Agricultural workers will be eligible to earn overtime after working more than 55 hours per week.

     

    January 2022 Legislative Update

    The 2022 Legislative session began on Monday, January 10th in Olympia. Lawmakers have 60 days to convene and pass new laws or change old ones before the session adjourns on March 10th.

    Concerning the LTC Act:

    Governor Jay Inslee clarified that employer deductions from employees’ wages under Washington’s Long Term Care Act are required by law to begin January 1, 2022, except for workers who purchased their own insurance and successfully applied for an exemption. He had announced that he was “pausing” the program until April 2022, with informal support from legislative leaders. The governor acknowledged he doesn’t have the authority to make changes to the Act and only the Legislature can do so. He stated he hopes the Legislature will modify the Act early in the 2022 legislative session.

    Several bills have been pre-filed for consideration regarding the LTC Act:

    HB 1596 - Authorizing the availability of benefits from the long-term services and supports trust program for qualified individuals who reside outside of Washington.  

    HB 1597 - Establishing an exemption from the payment of premiums to the long-term services and supports trust program based on hardship. 

    HB 1598 - Concerning the payment of benefit units in the long-term services and supports trust program upon the death of a qualified individual.

    HB 1599 - Establishing an exemption from the payment of premiums to the long-term services and supports trust program for recent graduates.