(1) The legislature recognizes that costs associated with employees on leave who have received or will receive a pandemic leave assistance employee grant under RCW 50A.15.130 may disproportionately impact small businesses. Therefore, the legislature intends to assist small businesses with the costs of such employees on leave.
(2) Employers with 150 or fewer employees and employers with 50 or fewer employees who are assessed all premiums under RCW 50A.10.030(5)(b) may apply to the department for a pandemic leave assistance employer grant under this section.
(3)(a) An employer may receive a pandemic leave assistance employer grant of $3,000 if the employer hires a temporary worker to replace an employee on leave who has received or will receive a pandemic leave assistance employee grant under RCW 50A.15.130.
(b) For an employee on leave who has received or will receive a pandemic leave assistance employee grant under RCW 50A.15.130, an employer may receive a grant of up to $1,000 as reimbursement for significant wage-related costs due to the employee's leave.
(c) An employer may receive a grant under (a) or (b) of this subsection, but not both, except that an employer who received a grant under (b) of this subsection may receive a grant of the difference between the grant awarded under (b) of this subsection and $3,000 if the employee on leave who has received or will receive a pandemic leave assistance grant under RCW 50A.15.130 extended the leave beyond the leave initially planned and the employer hired a temporary worker for the employee on leave.
(4) An employer may apply for a pandemic leave assistance employer grant no more than once.
(5) To be eligible for a pandemic leave assistance employer grant under this section, the employer must provide the department written documentation showing the temporary worker hired or significant wage-related costs incurred are due to an employee on leave who has received or will receive a pandemic leave assistance employee grant under RCW 50A.15.130.
(6) The department must assess an employer with fewer than 50 employees who receives a pandemic leave assistance employer grant under this section for all premiums for three years from the date of receipt of the grant.
(7) Pandemic leave assistance employer grants shall not be funded from the family and medical leave insurance account.
(8) For the purposes of this section, the number of employees must be calculated as provided in RCW 50A.10.030.
(9) An employer who has an approved voluntary plan is not eligible to receive a pandemic leave assistance employer grant under this section.
(10) Grants under this section are available only until funding provided by the legislature solely for these purposes is exhausted.
[ 2021 c 109 § 3.]
NOTES:
Finding—Intent—Construction—Rule making—Expiration date—Effective date—2021 c 109: See notes following RCW 50A.15.130.