October 2024 | Issue 54
Develop your talent pipeline with this innovative approach
If your company is looking for skilled, diverse talent, investigate Career Connect Washington (CCW).
The CCW is a statewide initiative that creates talent solutions for employers and work-based learning for students. It brings together business, labor, education and community members to support the state’s workforce needs.
Here’s an example. Fred Hutch’s LabLaunch program creates a pipeline of skilled workers for the company while helping students gain skills and experience they need to succeed in the life sciences industry.
The LabLaunch program connects education and employment by:
- Giving students hands-on lab experience. They can earn an Accelerated Lab Technician Training Certificate from Shoreline Community College, ensuring they are ready to contribute to the high-demand lab technician role.
- Partnering with K-12 schools and postsecondary institutions to help Fred Hutch recruit from a diverse group of motivated students.
If you think your company could benefit from this approach to workforce development, check out CCW.
Paid Leave
We'll announce the 2025 premium rate in late October
The Paid Leave premium rate is changing on Jan. 1, 2025. Premiums, collected from employees and employers through quarterly reporting, fund the Paid Leave program. By law, we recalculate the Paid Leave premium rate annually on Sept. 30. The premium rate is adjusted based on contributions from premiums and benefits paid during the previous year.
When we announce the new premium rate, we will publish it on the Updates page of the Paid Leave website. We will also send an email announcement to subscribers of this newsletter.
We calculated business sizes for 2025
The Paid Family & Medical Leave program calculated business sizes on Sept. 30 for the next year. To do this, we averaged the employee headcount you reported over the previous four quarters. The average includes reports you filed as "no payroll."
If your business size changed, we will mail you a letter in early October to let you know.
If we calculated that you have 50 or more employees:
You will be responsible for paying the full Paid Leave premium rate on wages paid Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2025. The full premium rate includes the employer’s and employee’s share. The first report for these premiums will be due in April 2025.
If we calculated that you have fewer than 50 employees:
Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, you will not be responsible for paying the employer share of premiums. You still need to remit the employee portion.
You may choose to contribute the full premium rate to the program by opting in annually. The enrollment period for calendar year 2025 is open until March 1.
To find more information on the Paid Leave website about:
Nominate your business for a YesVets award
If you hire veterans, we want to honor you for your efforts!
The Washington state Hire-A-Vet Employer of the Year Award recognizes businesses and organizations that go above and beyond to hire veterans.
We encourage you to nominate your own business for this YesVets award. Read about the YesVets program at YesVets.org.
Submit a nomination form by Oct. 15.
To be eligible:
- You must be registered for the Washington YesVets program. If you are not yet a YesVets employer, it's easy and free to sign up at YesVets.org.
- You must have hired at least one veteran during calendar year 2023 or 2024.
- 7% of your 2024 hires are veterans.
As an alternative to the 2024 7% hiring goal, you could meet all these requirements:
- You retained for at least 12 months 75% of veterans hired in 2023.
- 7% of all your employees are veterans.
- You have made specific efforts to support veterans and veteran families in your community in the past year.
The benefits of YesVets
We give all YesVets employers priority invitations to job fairs and choice booth placement.
And if you win an award:
- You receive statewide recognition as a Hire-a-Vet Employer of the Year! We spread the news on YesVets, Employment Security Department, and Washington Department of Veterans Affairs social media channels.
- The Employment Security Department commissioner will honor you at an annual in-person recognition ceremony on Flag Day, June 14.
- You get a special plaque to display.
If you need help or have questions
Contact your local WorkSource center. Visit the WorkSource website to find the office closest to you. Ask to speak to the local WorkSource business services team, local veterans employment representative or consolidated veterans services representative.
Help shape the future of the WorkSourceWA website
From now until Oct. 6, we invite you to participate in a study about the current WorkSourceWA website. The survey will take you only about 10 to 15 minutes.
As a thank-you for your feedback, we will enter you in a drawing to win one of several $100 gift cards.
Find out more and take the survey on the Employment Security Department website.
When you send us payments, please include
the program name
How the Employment Security Department processes unspecified tax payments
Employers submit tax payments to Employment Security for state Unemployment Insurance (UI), Paid Family and Medical Leave (Paid Leave) and WA Cares programs. Please be sure to specify a program when submitting any of these payments.
If we receive payment with no program specified, we will contact you to clarify. If we cannot reach you, we will first apply payment to any balance for UI, second to any balance for Paid Leave, and third to any balance for WA Cares. This rule in the Washington Administrative Code went into effect Sept. 7, 2024.
You’ll find up-to-date information online about how to submit payments for each program. For UI contributions, consult the Unemployment taxes page. For Paid Leave and WA Cares payments, read the File your report and pay premiums page.
WA Cares: What workers need to know
Join the WA Cares team for a live webinar to learn:
- What long-term care includes.
- How caregiving responsibilities impact families and the workplace.
- Who contributes to the fund.
- How exemptions work.
- How workers will meet contribution requirements, including a pathway for near-retirees.
ASL interpretation and live captioning will be available.
Wednesday, Oct. 9, 11 a.m. to noon — Register now on Zoom.
Share and subscribe
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