Washington's Paid Family and Medical Leave gives up to 12 weeks of family leave, or up to 16 weeks combined with medical leave, if you've worked 820 hours in your qualifying period. As of October 2026 it pays up to 90% of your weekly pay, capped at $1,647 a week for leave starting in 2026, and bonding leave has no unpaid waiting week.
Washington's scheme has two quirks worth knowing. You don't need to be employed when you apply, and from 1 January 2026 job protection rules changed for workers at mid-sized companies.
Here's how it all fits together, from the state's own Paid Leave site, read in October 2026.
Washington paid leave in numbers
| Rule | What Washington says (as of October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Family leave | Up to 12 weeks in your claim year |
| Combined family and medical leave | Up to 16 weeks with more than one qualifying event |
| Pregnancy complication | Up to 18 weeks combined, for an incapacitating condition such as bed rest or a C-section |
| Hours needed | 820 hours in your qualifying period; full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal work all count |
| Pay | Up to 90% of your weekly pay, up to the yearly maximum |
| 2026 weekly maximum | $1,647 (2025: $1,542) |
| Waiting week | Unpaid waiting week, except for postnatal leave, bonding leave and military exigency |
Who qualifies in Washington
The core test is 820 hours. The state looks back over a 12-month qualifying period that usually starts about 15 months before you apply or start leave, whichever is earlier. You don't need to be in work at the time you apply.
Some workers aren't automatically covered: employees of a tribally owned business on tribal land, self-employed people who haven't opted in, and workers covered by an employer's approved voluntary plan.
What counts as a qualifying event
Family leave in Washington is for the birth, adoption or placement of a child, caring for a family member with a serious health condition, or a qualifying military exigency, such as time with a family member about to deploy overseas. Medical leave is for your own serious health condition, including prenatal and postnatal care.
The law defines a serious health condition. Broadly, it means inpatient care in a hospital, hospice or residential facility, or continuing treatment by a health care provider, such as more than three consecutive days of incapacity, pregnancy, a chronic condition like asthma or diabetes, or multiple treatments. Any leave a birthing parent takes in the postnatal period is treated as medical leave unless otherwise specified.
The 2026 job protection change
This is the insight people miss. Paid leave and a guaranteed job are different things. From 1 January 2026, the state says that if your company employs 25 or more people in Washington and you've worked there for at least 180 days, your job is likely protected. Your employer can still refuse to restore the job if you're in the highest-paid 10% of salaried staff within 75 miles, or if the job wouldn't have existed when you came back.
If you don't qualify for that protection, other local, state or federal laws may still cover you, which is where the federal FMLA comes in. Washington says using FMLA doesn't reduce your Paid Leave benefit, and the two usually run at the same time.
Washington Paid Leave versus FMLA
| Washington Paid Leave | Federal FMLA | |
|---|---|---|
| Who runs it | State program for people working in Washington | Federal program throughout the US |
| Paid? | Yes, up to 90% of weekly pay to the cap | No, it offers unpaid leave |
| Employer size | Washington workers, with listed exceptions | Only businesses of 50 or more employees |
| Family definition | Wider | Narrower definition of family |
How the weekly maximum has grown
The cap rises every year, which is useful to know if your leave straddles a new year. The state lists $1,000 a week in 2020, $1,206 in 2021, $1,327 in 2022, $1,427 in 2023, $1,456 in 2024, $1,542 in 2025 and $1,647 in 2026, as of October 2026.
How to apply, step by step
- Tell your employer at least 30 days before your leave if it's foreseeable.
- Have your qualifying event, such as the birth or placement of a child.
- Apply to Paid Leave within 30 days after the qualifying event.
- Wait for the determination letter in the mail.
- File weekly claims to get paid, reporting the hours you took off. You can take leave in full weeks or as reduced hours.
Your maximum weekly benefit is fixed by the year you apply or start leave, even if the claim runs into the next calendar year. If you're budgeting around a new baby, it's also worth knowing Washington's minimum wage, since the benefit is worked out from your reported wages.
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My verdict
Washington is one of the most flexible schemes in the US. Part-time and seasonal hours count, you can take reduced hours instead of full weeks, and bonding leave skips the waiting week. The thing to check is job protection: if your employer has fewer than 25 staff in Washington, or you've been there under 180 days, the pay may be there without the guaranteed job, so read the rules before you agree your return date.
For the rest of the series, see the Creator Pay Rates: What YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and Snapchat Really Pay (75 Answers).
Frequently asked questions
How much is Washington paid family leave in 2026?
As of October 2026, it pays up to 90% of your weekly pay, up to a maximum of $1,647 a week for leave starting in 2026.
How many weeks of paid family leave do you get in Washington?
Up to 12 weeks of family leave, up to 16 weeks combined with medical leave, or up to 18 weeks with a pregnancy complication that causes incapacity.
How many hours do I need to qualify in Washington?
You must have worked 820 hours in your qualifying period. Full-time, part-time, temporary and seasonal work all count.
Is there a waiting week for bonding leave in Washington?
No. The state says bonding leave, postnatal leave and military exigency leave don't have a waiting week.
Can I take Washington paid leave a day at a time?
Yes. You report the hours you took off each week, so you can take one day a week, for example to care for a family member during treatment, or take full weeks.
Does Washington paid leave protect my job?
From 1 January 2026 your job is likely protected if your employer has 25 or more employees in Washington and you've worked there at least 180 days, with some exceptions.
