Paternity Leave in Washington State: 12 Weeks Each, in Pieces If You Like

Washington has one of the more generous leave programs in the country. Each parent gets their own 12 weeks, and you can take it in one go or in pieces. A few weeks together at the start, more later when your partner goes back to work: that kind of plan works here.

Do you qualify for paternity leave in Washington state?

Getting paid and keeping your job are two separate tests.

Will you get paid?

Probably, if you’ve worked 820 hours in Washington in roughly the last year. That’s about 16 hours a week. Full-time, part-time, seasonal and temporary work all count, even across several employers.

Bonding leave is for both parents, dads included. Each eligible parent gets up to 12 weeks, even if you work for the same company. That’s 12 weeks each, not 12 for the household to split.

Is your job protected during paternity leave in Washington?

Since January 2026, yes if your employer has 25 or more employees and you’ve been there 180 days when your leave starts. That threshold drops to 15 employees in 2027 and 8 in 2028.

Work somewhere smaller? You can still get paid, but ask HR whether FMLA or anything else protects your job. Our guide on how to ask for paternity leave has a script for that conversation.

How much is paid family leave in Washington, and for how long?

Paid Leave replaces up to 90 percent of your weekly pay, up to a maximum of $1,647 a week in 2026. Lower earners get the higher percentage, higher earners hit the cap. The state’s benefit calculator gives you your number. Compare it with your bills, not your hopes.

You get up to 12 weeks of bonding leave, to use in the baby’s first year. Take it all at once or in pieces: since 2026, the minimum you can claim is four hours in a row in a week. Bonding leave has no unpaid waiting week, so the money starts with the leave.

Already used family leave this year? Check what’s left before you plan.

How to file a paid family leave claim in Washington

You apply to the state’s Employment Security Department (ESD), unless your employer has its own approved plan. HR will know.

1. Apply once the baby is born. Bonding needs its own application, but you can set up your Paid Leave account and gather documents before the birth.
2. Apply online in your Paid Leave account with your work history and leave dates. Help: 833-717-2273.
3. Add ID and proof of the birth. The state’s Certification of Birth form, a copy of the birth certificate or a note from the healthcare provider all work.
4. Apply within 30 days of the birth. ESD asks for applications within 30 days of the event, and payments generally don’t go back further than your application date. Taking your leave later in the year? Check the timing with ESD.
5. File a weekly claim. Approval isn’t payment. You request each week’s pay after the week ends (weeks run Sunday to Saturday), including weeks you didn’t take leave.

Step 5 is the one dads miss. No weekly claim, no money.

What does your employer have to do?

• Give you your job back, or one with the same pay, benefits and conditions, if you qualify for job protection.
• Keep your health insurance going while you’re on protected leave. You still pay your usual share, so ask how. Adding the baby to the plan is a separate step.
• Tell you how FMLA counts. Since 2026, your employer can count FMLA leave against your Paid Leave protection, with written notice. Ask HR how much protected time you have left.

Stuck? The state’s Paid Leave Ombuds office can help: 844-395-6697.

Washington paid family leave deadlines

Before you lock in dates, take our free paternity leave HR questions to HR. Write down your employer’s size and your start date while you’re at it. Rather ask by email? Our free HR email template is ready to copy: fill in the blanks and hit send.

General information, not legal or financial advice. Figures are for 2026: from January 2027 the maximum rises to $1,727 a week and job protection starts at 15 employees. Check with HR and paidleave.wa.gov before you plan dates.

Sources: Washington Paid Leave: how it works, new parents, job protection, apply, weekly claims, 2026 workplace poster, US Department of Labor.