May 2023 | Issue 34

WA Cares: Find the resources you need

Prepare for WA Cares contributions and exemptions

Workers begin contributing to WA Cares on July 1, 2023, and we’ve made it easy to communicate updates with your staff. Our employer toolkit’s monthly content for May includes a paycheck insert you can include with your workers’ pay stubs and a pre-written staff email article about qualifying for WA Cares benefits.

If you have employees who may qualify for an exemption, encourage them to submit their application to ESD as soon as possible. ESD will process all WA Cares Fund exemption applications submitted on or before June 1, 2023, before premiums take effect in July. ESD will continue to process applications received after June 1 as quickly as possible. Exemption applications approved on or after July 1 will not be effective until Oct. 1, 2023, at the earliest.

Once ESD processes an application, we send a confirmation email to the customer. If an applicant would like an update on the status of their application, we suggest they log into their SAW account. We ask that they avoid calling our customer care team to ask about status. Our agents cannot quote processing timelines for individual applications.

WA Cares Basics: What Workers Need to Know webinar

Join us on May 18 from noon to 1 p.m. for the latest updates on the state’s long-term care insurance program and to learn more about employer responsibilities. We’ll cover who contributes to the fund, who can get an exemption, how workers will meet contribution requirements, what kinds of benefits will be available, and what employers need to do to prepare. Get your questions answered and find out where to go for more resources. ASL interpretation and live captions will be available. Register now.

WA Cares and Paid Leave: Employer webinars

Live webinar: Premium collection and quarterly reporting

There’s plenty to know about WA Cares and Paid Leave, and we’re committed to making your experience as easy as possible with helpful info and resources. Join us for an employer-focused webinar, where we'll cover Paid Leave and WA Cares premium collection, quarterly reporting, payments and more!

• Thursday, May 25, 11 a.m. to noon — Register now
  This webinar is limited to 500 participants, so don’t delay in registering!

Live webinar: Calculating premiums, in-depth

Are you looking for more in-depth conversations around WA Cares and Paid Leave premium calculations? Join us for employer-focused webinars, where we will cover specific topics more in depth. Topics will include paying employee premiums, social security cap, what to do when you are over- or under-withholding, and using online resources like our premium calculator.

• Wednesday, May 31, 11 a.m. to noon — Register now
  This webinar is limited to 500 participants, so don’t delay in registering!

More to come!

We will be hosting employer webinar opportunities throughout the year so be sure to stay up to date on our employer newsletter for upcoming dates and topics

Unemployment Insurance (UI): New resources available

New training videos for EAMS

We have uploaded 11 short videos about how to use our upgraded Employer Account Management Services system. Topics include using EAMS, how to add and remove an employer in EAMS, how to import wage data from a spreadsheet and more! Employers and others use EAMS to file quarterly wage reports and pay unemployment taxes. The upgraded EAMS is designed to perform better and improve your experience. 

Business owners, governing persons and EAMS locked services

Does someone else file reports or make payments for your business? If so, a registered business owner needs to set up your account in EAMS to approve other users’ requests. This gives business owners more control over who has access to their business information in EAMS.

Business owners will need to request locked services, which grants the following benefits:

• Copy data from one quarter to the next.
• Save, view and amend reports.
• Auto-calculate excess wages.
• View payment history.
• Cancel pending payments.
• View account activity.
• Control user accounts.

Access to locked services is not required to file or pay quarterly reports.

If you’re new to EAMS, get started here. 

Submit nominations by July 28 for 2023 Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment (GCDE) employer awards

GCDE is seeking nominations for the 2023 Washington state Governor’s employer awards. These awards recognize excellence in recruiting, hiring and advancing employees with disabilities. Small, medium and large private, nonprofit and public employers are eligible.

For nomination instructions and information about the nomination process, check out the 2023 GCDE Employer Awards nomination information packet. Fill out a nomination form by July 28 for your own organization, other employers or leaders in your communities. Questions or to request an application in alternate formats – email GCDEAwards@esd.wa.gov.

Share and subscribe

Know someone who might be interested in this content? Share this email and ask them to join our employer mailing list.