Washington Paid Family Leave premium rose to 1.13% in 2026
Washington workers have no state income tax, but this year's paid leave deduction is about 23% larger than last year's.
Key numbers
- Total premium: 0.92% → 1.13% of wages
- Employee share: 71.43%
- WA Cares stays at 0.58%
Washington's Paid Family and Medical Leave premium increased to 1.13% of wages on January 1, 2026, up from 0.92% in 2025, according to the state Employment Security Department.
Employees pay 71.43% of the premium and employers pay the rest. For workers, that is about 0.81% of each paycheck, applied to wages up to the Social Security limit of $184,500.
How much more it costs
A worker earning $80,000 now pays about $646 a year for paid leave, compared with about $526 in 2025, an increase of roughly $120, or under $5 per biweekly paycheck.
What the program pays
The program replaces part of your wages when you take leave to recover from a serious illness, bond with a new child or care for a family member. Washington also deducts 0.58% of wages for the WA Cares long-term care fund, which did not change.
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Sources
- Washington Employment Security Department: PFML premium rate increases to 1.13% in 2026
- Washington Paid Leave