Washington’s paid family leave program running short on cash

The Associated Press ^ | January 26, 2022 | By RACHEL LA CORTE

[Oldeconomybuyer]

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — Washington state’s paid family leave program could hit a deficit as early as March and there are concerns about long-term solvency following a significant increase in demand for the benefit that launched in 2020.

Under the law, eligible workers receive 12 weeks paid time off for the birth or adoption of a child or for a serious medical condition of the worker or the worker’s family member, or 16 weeks for a combination of both. An additional two weeks may be used if there is a serious health condition with a pregnancy.

Weekly benefits are calculated based on a percentage of the employee’s wages and the state’s weekly average wage — which is now $1,475 — though the weekly amount paid out is capped at $1,327.

The program saw benefit delays when it first went live in January 2020, right before the pandemic hit. In the first six weeks, more than triple the amount of people expected applied for the program, and the demand has continued to be high.

“Because of the popularity of the program and the amount of benefits paid we’ve seen the fund balance continue to go down,” Carole Holland, the chief financial office for the agency. “And so it does seem that it’s likely that we will have a cash deficit situation in March or April of 2022.”

[Redleg Duke]

They are running out of other peoples’ money!

[Captain Peter Blood]

Well when you have a guy like Mayor Pete hogging all the time off I aim not surprised. By the way where is Pete, nothing out of him him quite awhile.

[llevrok]

The program saw benefit delays when it first went live in January 2020, right before the pandemic hit. In the first six weeks, more than triple the amount of people expected applied for the program, and the demand has continued to be high.

"Popular" which is Gov-Speak for stay home and don't work. We got you covered

[Liz]

Mayor Pete has a fan club and unusual celebrity status. Pete contends roads are racist, and destroy entire black neighborhoods.

“Golly......all that hate-filled black macadam.”

[j.havenfarm]

Problems encountered were….”unexpected.” Boy, that’s a rarity In government

[E. Pluribus Unum]

[Robert DeLong]

As Field Of Dreams said, build it and they will come, not for the entertainment in the case, but for the money. Zimbabwe here we come, with hyper-inflation resulting in a useless fiat or even digital currency.

[Steely Tom]

Something just has to be done about this deficit.

[Spok]

Taxes are when politicians take money from people that have earned it, and give it to people who might vote for them. -Thomas Sowell

[Republican Wildcat]

“Because of the popularity of the program and the amount of benefits paid we’ve seen the fund balance continue to go down,” Carole Holland, the chief financial office for the agency. “And so it does seem that it’s likely that we will have a cash deficit situation in March or April of 2022.”

Who could have predicted such a thing? < / s >

One thing advocated by Trump at the Federal level that thankfully never passed.

[dynachrome]

If grandpa becomes “grandma”, can I get leave twice?

[tennmountainman]

Just do the favorite RAT thing…raise taxes.

[Prince of Space]

Cue Gomer Pyle. 🤣

[hoagy62]

Except the article isn’t talking about Buttplug....it’s talking about something put forth by Reichsfuhrer Jay Inslee.

Another rotten Democrat.

[Chode]

[NEMDF]

Right? I guess people without kids are going to have to PAY MORE to make this work.

[Timber Rattler]

Republican Sen. Lynda Wilson said it was disappointing “how we didn’t anticipate what could happen.”

Seriously?

[libertylover]

I suspect this was “unexpected” to the AP and no one predicted it.

[5th MEB]

They couldn’t anticipate that if you offer free time off from work and get paid for it at the same time that people wouldn’t snap that up?

Those politicians are REALLY STUPID aren’t they!