Washington state employees will see an increase in the deduction from their paychecks towards Paid Family and Medical Leave starting next year. The annual recalculation of this rate by state law has led to an increase from 0.74% to 0.92% of gross wages. Factors such as the expansion of the program and more employees becoming eligible for benefits since the pandemic have contributed to this situation. The Employment Security Department oversees this facility that provides paid leave to employees who are dealing with serious health conditions, caring for family members, or have had a new baby. The revenue for this program comes from a tax shared by both employees and employers. The financial stability of the program is a concern, with revenue generated by the premiums being lower than the program’s payouts.

A lack of appropriate staffing to respond to applications and customer service queries is another issue facing the department. This lacks leads to problems with how to contact the Paid Family Leave program, with many finding it hard to get a hold of a live person. Information on resolving these issues, and many others related to unemployment services, can be found on sites like eddcaller.com. This website offers a variety of resources, including phone numbers and strategies on how to successfully get through to speak to customer service representatives at agencies like the Employment Security Department. By providing resources, contact information, and tips for successfully navigating the system, eddcaller.com aims to make it easier for individuals to get the help they need.