WA Cares Fund: Exemption applications available Oct. 1

WA Cares Fund: Affordability, choice, peace of mind

Washington is the first state in the nation to develop a public plan that makes long-term care insurance affordable. WA Cares Fund gives members access to a lifetime benefit they can use on a wide range of long-term services and supports—should they need it.

What if my employees already have a long-term care plan?

Workers who hold existing long-term care insurance or purchase a new private policy before Nov. 1, 2021, can apply for an exemption from WA Cares coverage. If workers are approved for an exemption, they will be permanently excluded from WA Cares benefits but they won’t be required to pay premiums.

Workers pay WA Cares premiums only while they’re working—not after retirement

Private long-term care insurance usually requires payments even if people aren’t working. That can mean making payments while on a fixed income throughout retirement, or even while unemployed. That’s why it’s important for workers to compare the lifetime cost, not annual cost, of private plans vs. WA Cares.

If you have workers considering a WA Cares exemption, encourage them to check out our Exemptions page so they can weigh their options.

Workers with approved exemptions will never be eligible for WA Care benefits. If they decide to apply, applications will be available starting Oct. 1, 2021.

Join a live webinar

We’re inviting workers to attend live informational webinars where they can learn more about what benefits are available, how to vest and other details about the state’s approach to providing long-term care coverage. They’ll have an opportunity to speak directly with WA Cares Fund staff and get their questions answered. Pre-registration to attend is not required.

Did you miss it?

  • Visit wacaresfund.wa.gov to learn about the benefit and what to expect. Your workers may look to you when they have questions about WA Cares, and we invite you to share our website as a resource. Our contact info is available if they need assistance.

  • Check out our Employer page for helpful program information relating to your business. You can also find more resources in our Employer Toolkit, including a multi-language flyer that can help workers understand the benefit.

  • Stop by our Learn more page to read frequently asked questions, including specific questions for employers.

Paid Leave: Get ready for quarterly reporting  

Quarter 3 reports are due by October 31.  

Before you submit this report, please log-in to your Paid Leave account and make sure your contact info is accurate, then also review the status of your previously filed reports.  

If your reports are:  

  • “Pending” — You have begun your manual wage submission but have not yet submitted it.

  • “Submitted” — You have uploaded your report, and the system has not yet processed it.

  • “Rejected”— You need to correct the errors and submit a new report for that quarter.

  • “Processed” — Your quarterly report was successfully filed. Check the payments tab to see if you have a balance due or credits on your account before submitting additional payments.

Payments can take several days to post to your account depending on your payment method.  

Please make sure that you have reported for all quarters you had payroll. (Remember: You do not have to file a report for any quarter you did not have payroll.)  

New to reporting? Use the premium calculator and test your files to get ready. You can also learn how to set up an employer agent to manage your reports. Additional resources are available in the Help Center and at https://paidleave.wa.gov/employers.  

Unemployment Insurance: Tips to avoid overpaying taxes

These two common reporting mistakes can cause employers to pay more taxes than they owe.

  • Reporting an incorrect tax rate

  • Reporting owners and officers who are exempt under law

To avoid overpaying, make sure your tax software is up to date. Check to see that your software correctly lists your owners/officers and tax rate. If you aren’t sure how to update your tax software, reach out to the company’s technical support. Unfortunately, we can’t answer questions about different types of tax software.

If you use a third-party administrator to report your taxes, such as a bookkeeper, CPA or large payroll company, make sure they have a current list of your exempt owners and officers, and your correct tax rate.

Every quarter, we send letters when we find errors on lists of exempt owners and officers. If they’re no longer exempt, you need to notify us.

  • Download and complete an Owner/Officer Change Form (5208C-2).

  • Mail or fax it to us.

  • Every December, we mail tax rate notices for the following year. This is a perfect time to ensure your tax software is updated with the correct tax rate and exempt owners and or officers.

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