The window to opt out of a new state program — and avoid a new tax — is short for Washington workers.
Join AWB on Aug. 23 for a free webinar to learn more.
Employees who wish to avoid paying the new tax must have their own, qualified long-term care coverage in place by October 31, 2021 and proactively opt out of the state program. The applications to apply for an exemption should be available starting Oct. 1, according to the state Employment Security Department reports. Details are pending.
Without an exemption, workers will start paying a new payroll tax of 0.58% on their wages beginning Jan. 1. The money will be used to pay for a new long-term care fund managed by the state. Employers will be responsible for collecting and remitting the tax payments to the state for employees who do not receive an exemption.
The new tax comes to about $300 a year for a worker that makes $52,000.
“Now’s the time for employers and workers to explore this issue and learn more,” says Debra Brown, president of Forterra, Inc., AWB’s employer services arm. “Employers should be talking to their staff about this issue now, because the deadline is coming up quickly. And employees should be exploring their long-term care coverage and start planning if they haven’t already.”
Read more at AWB News and register today for the free webinar.
Amy K. Anderson is AWB’s director of government affairs for education, workforce development, health care and federal issues.
Before joining AWB’s government affairs team, Amy was a strategic consultant for the AWB Institute for almost four years, bringing more than 10 years of policy analysis and advocacy experience to the position.
She began her career working with the Washington State Senate Health and Long Term Care Committee as well as the Washington State Workforce Training and Education Coordinating Board as a policy analyst. She also spent seven years heading up the policy and workforce efforts at Greater Spokane Incorporated. She has also worked as Oregon and Alaska legislative director at Premera Blue Cross. Amy has also taught graduate health policy and law classes for Washington State University Spokane and Kaplan University.
Amy holds a law degree from Gonzaga University School of Law, a graduate degree in Health Policy and Administration from Washington State University Spokane, a B.A. in Philosophy from the University of Colorado and a B.A. in Government and History from California State University Sacramento.
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