What are the legal requirements for providing parental leave?
In Washington, employers must provide parental leave to their employees in accordance with Employment Benefits Law. This law covers both maternity and paternity leave, and is designed to give parents the time they need to take care of a newborn or newly adopted child. Under this law, employers must provide parental leave of up to 12 weeks if they employ at least 50 people. For employers with fewer than 50 employees, the law states that they must provide parental leave of at least eight weeks. The leave must be taken within the year following the child’s birth or adoption. Parents are also entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave if they have worked for their employer for at least 12 months and have worked at least 1,250 hours in the 12 months prior to taking their leave. In addition, employers must make sure that employees’ jobs are protected when they take parental leave. This means that the employee must be given the same job or one that is similar when they return from their leave. Employees may also be eligible for a state-administered parental leave insurance program that provides partial wages during the leave period. To qualify, employees must have worked for their employer for at least 26 weeks before taking their leave and have earned at least $2,000 during that period. Employers must ensure that they are compliant with Washington Employment Benefits Law when it comes to parental leave. This law protects employees and makes sure they have the time they need to care for their new child.
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