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In this issue
- New unemployment tax handbook available.
- Paid Leave statements mailed in May, and more Paid Leave news.
- County labor market profiles updated.
- Businesses that hire people with disabilities have higher profit margins.
- Disaster grants available from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
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Unemployment tax handbook for employers now available
Get important information to help you administer unemployment benefits and control your costs. Go to our website to download the latest Unemployment Insurance Tax Handbook for Employers (PDF, 1.62MB).
Designed to help you understand and comply with unemployment tax and administrative requirements, the guide includes:
- How to set up and update your account.
- How tax rates are set and how to pay your taxes.
- Reporting requirements for employees, hires and rehires, wages and hours.
- How to appeal an unemployment tax decision.
- What to expect during an audit.
- What to expect when a worker files for unemployment.
We also recommend you bookmark our employer forms and information page to quickly access commonly used documents for working with Employment Security.
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We will mail Paid Leave balance statements in May
Watch your mail for Paid Leave statements in May. These statements will let you know if you have any premiums owed and help you stay current with your reports and payments. You’ll also be aware of what you owe so you can avoid unnecessary costs in the future when we start assessing penalties and interest.
To ensure timely delivery of your statement, please log in to your employer account to:
- Check that your business mailing address and email address are correct. You can make changes to this information at any time.
- Review your premium reporting history and current balance. Reports are due every quarter, even if you do not have payroll. Please submit any missing reports or payments.
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Complete the PIN process for your employer account
When you first create your Paid Leave and WA Cares employer account, you’ll probably have limited access. This access allows you to submit your quarterly wage reports, view your wage submission history and make premium payments.
But you can gain full access to your account by completing the PIN process. With full access, you can:
- Add and edit contacts, users and POAs on your account.
- Amend wage reports.
- View employees’ Paid Leave benefit applications and weekly claims.
- Apply for small business assistance grants.
- And more!
This additional functionality helps you keep current with your account, especially as we reach out to your business this spring about penalties and interest.
Visit the Technical Support page of the Paid Leave website for instructions on how to complete the PIN process. There, you can also learn more about managing your account and download our new POA guides for employers and employer agents.
New law addresses IRS guidance on Paid Leave program
Gov. Bob Ferguson signed new legislation on Wednesday, March 11, 2026, that eases the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) tax burden on employers. It also saves money for Washington workers who participate in the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave program.
The measure, requested by the Employment Security Department, responds to IRS guidance issued last year pertaining to state-run paid leave programs, including Washington’s. The new law will simplify implementation and reduce ongoing tax-related burdens on employers, workers and the Employment Security Department.
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Reminder about who we consider self-employed
You may receive a communication next month if your employer wage report includes individuals who might be self‑employed. This notice will include instructions on how to address the issue before it affects any future benefit claims.
As a reminder, all self-employed people must opt in to our programs to receive benefits. For more information about who is self-employed and how to opt in, see our Elective Coverage Toolkit on the Paid Leave website (PDF, 461KB).
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WA Cares annual statements available to workers April 1
Washingtonians can request their WA Cares annual statements beginning April 1. The statements show:
- A snapshot of their contributions to the WA Cares Fund, as reported to Employment Security by their employers from July 1, 2023, to Dec. 31, 2025.
- Their exemption status, if applicable.
- Information on pathways to qualify for benefits.
Why this is important to employers
Annual statements contain instructions for workers who find inaccurate or missing hours. If you are the employer who reported the hours, they will need to reach out to you. You will need to correct any errors by filing an amended wage report.
If you have questions about reporting for WA Cares and Paid Leave
- Email paidleave@esd.wa.gov. To get you to the right team, include in the subject line “UBI” followed by your nine-digit UBI number. Or include “BUSINESS” followed by your business name.
- Call us Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 833-717-2273. Follow the prompts to get into the “employer reporting, premiums and employer responsibilities” queue.
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Join us for a webinar: "WA Cares for Self-Employed Workers"
If you’re self-employed, you can choose to elect coverage and protect yourself with the same affordable benefits available to other Washington workers. You need to elect coverage by June 30, 2026, or within three years of becoming self-employed for the first time.
Learn more by joining us for an upcoming webinar
Register for “WA Cares for Self-Employed Workers” from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 25.
In the webinar, presenters from Employment Security and the Department of Social & Health Services will cover:
- How the program works.
- How to define a self-employed worker.
- Creating an elective coverage account.
- How to opt-in.
- Reporting requirements.
Live captioning and interpretation in ASL, Chinese (Cantonese), Korean, Russian and Spanish will be available. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email with information about joining the webinar.
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County profiles updated and available on Employment Security website
Employment Security’s regional labor economists have reimagined and updated the county profiles on the Employment Security website.
The updated profiles showcase what our regional economists do best: present focused labor market stories about each county referencing the most current numbers. The county profiles are the front door to labor market data and are an easy way to jump into the current situation in your county.
The new profiles follow a standard flow, making it easier to compare counties, and are updated every month to reflect current labor market conditions. County profiles provide a gateway to key labor market datasets, empowering you to find, understand and use labor market data to answer questions within your area of interest.
Want to invite an economist to a conference or meeting to learn more about your local economy? Find your regional labor economist on the contact labor market information webpage. They serve businesses, professionals and organizations in their areas, including WorkSource offices, workforce development councils, nonprofits, education, economic development, local government and the news media.
Build a creative, adaptive workforce
It’s a fact: Businesses that recruit and hire people with disabilities have a higher profit margin than businesses who don’t.
According to research published on the Accenture website (PDF, 3MB), these companies “realized 1.6 times more revenue, 2.6 times more net income, and 2 times more economic profit.”
Even so, employment for Washingtonians with disabilities lags far behind that of their nondisabled peers: 50.6% compared to 80%.
Resources to help you recruit workers with disabilities
In honor of National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, the Governor’s Committee on Disability Issues & Employment (GCDE) presents these resources to help you hire, train, promote and retain workers with disabilities.
- The state Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) in the Department of Social & Health Services (DSHS) offers free services for businesses. They have a pool of talented workers with disabilities, and can help you find the right talent to fit your needs. Read about DVR on the DSHS website.
- The Job Accommodation Network (JAN) offers consultations with employers about workplace accommodations. See the JAN website for details.
- The Employer Assistance and Resource Network on Disability (EARN) offers a wealth of information for employers. Learn about EARN on its website.
- Employment Security manages the federal Work Opportunity Tax Credit program, which gives tax credits to employers for hiring workers with disabilities. Learn about the WOTC on our website.
Now is the time to build a flexible, innovative team by including workers with disabilities in your business.
Learn more
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Disaster assistance available for December 2025 flooding
The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has made low-interest disaster loans available to businesses, private nonprofits, and residents. The loans are intended to offset physical and economic losses from the December 2025 flooding event.
Interest rates are as low as 4% for small businesses and 3.625% for nonprofits. The SBA determines eligibility and sets loan amounts and terms based on each applicant’s financial condition.
Find more information on the SBA website.
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Any time you need to respond to a notice from Employment Security, please use the phone number on that notice to reach the right team. If you do not contact the right team, we are not able to forward your call. Instead, we will give you the correct number to call.
If you have other questions related to unemployment taxes or benefits, about Paid Leave or WA Cares reporting, SharedWork and more, reach out! Find contact information by topic on the Employment Security website.
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This monthly newsletter contains important information for Washington employers.
If it is useful for others in your organization, such as a third party administrator, please forward and encourage them to subscribe.
Find past issues on the Employment Security website.
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