PFML eligibility and benefits
Last updated: January 20, 2026
This page applies to all staff, academic personnel, and student employees whose work is performed in Washington state.
Overview
Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program (PFML) is a mandatory statewide insurance program that provides paid family and medical leave to eligible employees. The program is administered by the Employment Security Department (ESD). Washington’s PFML program does not replace the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In most cases, PFML and FMLA will run concurrently.
The PFML program offers income support when life’s biggest moments take you away from work. Whether you need time to recover from your own serious health condition, care for a loved one, welcome a new child into your family, or handle qualifying military-related events, PFML provides partial wage replacement while you focus on what matters most.
The Individuals & Families section of the PaidLeave.wa.gov site is your hub for everything you need to apply and manage your absence:
- Check eligibility and see if PFML is right for you with a quick online quiz.
- Learn when to notify your employer and what documents you’ll need to apply.
- Submit your application online within 30 days of your qualifying event.
- Get step-by-step guidance on checking your application status, making changes, and filing weekly claims once your leave is approved.
You’ll also find tools to estimate your weekly benefit amount and access technical support and tutorials to help you every step of the way.
The health care provider will determine whether the illness or injury meets the definition of a “serious health condition.”
Notice for requesting leave
You must provide at least 30-day notice to the UW before the leave begins for a foreseeable event such as the birth or placement of a child or a planned surgery. If the need for leave is unforeseeable, like an accident or sudden illness, you must provide notice as soon as practical. You must inform the UW as soon as practical if dates of the leave change, are extended, or were initially unknown.
For intermittent leaves, the notice must also include the anticipated frequency of the leave.
Filling a PFML claim is a separate process from applying for leave of absence from the UW. When you file a PFML claim, you must also request a leave of absence with the UW or already be on an approved leave. You should begin a leave of absence by following the appropriate UW process, including completing medical or other supporting documentation (e.g., the FMLA Health Care Provider Statement). ESD and UW cannot share medical documentation, but ESD may accept a copy of the medical documentation already provided to UW as part of the PFML claim.
Medical and family care Leaves of Absence (LOA) include:
Family and Medical Leave (FMLA): provides job and health benefit protected leave for eligible employees who take leave for:
- A serious health condition, either their own or a family member’s
- Prenatal medical care or incapacity due to pregnancy and/or delivery
- Time to bond with a new baby or newly placed adopted or foster child
- Qualifying activities (exigencies) related to a family member’s military active duty
- A serious injury or illness of a family member who is a current member of the armed forces or a veteran
Parental leave: The University provides parental leave for all regular professional staff, contract covered staff, classified staff and librarians —regardless of whether they are eligible for FMLA.
Disability leave: Disability leave may be granted to staff who are unable to perform the essential functions of their position because of their own medical condition. For FMLA eligible employees, FMLA runs concurrently with disability leave.
Process for requesting leave
For campus staff and academic personnel: All medical and family care Leaves of Absence (LOA) in Workday begin with choosing between:
- LOA – General Leave Request – Sick/Injured/Family Member Care, or
- LOA– General Request-Becoming a Parent.
If the LOA is FMLA qualifying, it will be approved as FMLA, if not, another LOA type may be applicable.
For Medical Centers: Contact your HR leave and accommodation specialist to request a leave of absence by emailing MedCtrFMLA@uw.edu
Job protection
To qualify for job protection, an employee must have been employed by UW or the State of Washington for at least 180 calendar days before taking leave. Employees have a right to job protection when they are on a FMLA and/or PFML qualifying leave, and until their combined leave entitlement is exhausted. “Job protection” means that you will be restored to:
- the position of employment held by the employee when the leave commenced; or
- an equivalent position with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.
As a condition of job protection, UW may require you to provide certification from your health care provider that you are able to resume work.
UW may require an employee who is on leave to periodically report on their status and intention to return to work.
Maintaining health care coverage
UW will continue to pay the employer portion of health care benefits premiums during any period of PFML leave in which you are also entitled to job protection. If you give the University unequivocal notice of intent not to return to work, the University’s obligations to maintain health benefits will end.
University notice requirements
The University will provide at least five (5) days of advance written notice to an employee on leave of the estimated expiration date of the right to employment restoration and the anticipated date of the employee’s first scheduled workday. This notice will be provided for any continuous period of leave exceeding two typical work weeks or any combined intermittent periods of leave exceeding 14 typical workdays. The notice will tell you:
- When your job protection will end, and
- When you are due to return to work.
Exceptions to job protection
You do not return to work
You must return to work by:
- The first scheduled workday after their leave ends, or
- After 16 weeks of leave in a year (18 weeks if related to pregnancy complications)
If you do not return on time and there is no written agreement to extend the leave, the University is not required to restore the employee’s job.
Your position would not have existed
If your position would not have existed, even if your leave had not been taken, then there is no requirement to restore the position when the leave ends. Reasons may include:
- Layoffs
- Temporary or project-based role ends (e.g., PSTP or nonpermanent position has ended and work is no longer needed)
Program Funding
Funding for the program comes from premiums paid by both the employee and the UW. Incremental increases are expected each calendar year. The premium rate for 2026 is set by ESD as 1.13 % of wages up to the social security cap.
Employee’s Premium Contribution
The employee’s portion of the 1.13% premium is:
- 100% of the premiums due for family leave portion
- 45% of the premiums due for the medical leave portion
This is an approximate employee responsibility of 71.43% of the total premium.
Employer’s Premium Contribution
The UW is responsible for 55% of the premiums due for the medical leave portion, resulting in a total UW responsibility of 28.57% of the total premiums for all employees contributing to this benefit.
Additional information
Visit the Employment Security Department’s Paid Family & Medical Leave website.
UW contacts
Questions about leave of absence may be directed to the following offices:
Campus HR Operations & Services – Leave and Accommodations
Box 354963
4320 Brooklyn Ave NE
Seattle, WA 98195-4963
206-543-2354
206-685-0636 (Fax)
hrleaves@uw.edu
Find your leave and accommodation specialist.
UW Medicine Human Resources Operations, UW Medical Center Montlake, Northwest & Harborview
Box 356054
1959 NE Pacific Street
Seattle, WA 98195
206-598-4610 (Fax)
MedCtrFMLA@uw.edu