Washington state tries to fix paid leave law dormant since 2007

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A decade ago, Washington state created a paid family leave program that required many employers to offer five weeks of paid time off for new parents.

But the law that once offered hope to working parents quickly turned into an empty promise because state lawmakers never came up with a way to pay for the benefit, resulting in an indefinite delay of its implementation.

Now lawmakers from the state where companies like Microsoft and Amazon already offer the benefit to their workers are gearing up to consider a host of bills in a bid to replace the dormant law with one that gives more time off for new parents and people who need to care for sick relatives – plus a higher weekly benefit than originally envisioned and a steady funding stream. Legislative hearings on the various proposals start Thursday.

If any of the measures pass, Washington would be added to the list of four states that guarantee paid family leave: California, New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York, though New York's program doesn't take effect until next year.

Seven other states will consider legislative proposals this year for paid family leave measures, according to The National Conference of State Legislatures.

Like many other Washington state employees, Jessup Coffin cobbled together vacation time with sick time and unpaid leave from his job when his daughter was born nearly three year ago. The Seattle resident is now self-employed and could take off the time he needs but hopes lawmakers will approve paid leave.

"It puts everyone on a level playing field," he said.

The original 2007 law exempted businesses with 25 or fewer employees and was supposed to go into effect in 2009, paying people who went on leave $250 weekly.