“Washington state receives 95,000 exemption applications to new long-term care benefit in first week”

“Washington state receives 95,000 exemption applications to new long-term care benefit in first week,” by Alex Regimbal, Seattle PI

Quote:

“Between Oct. 1 and Oct. 8, the WA Cares Fund received roughly 95,000 exemption submissions, said Nick Demerice, the legislative affairs director for the state Employment Security Department. The first day workers could apply for an exemption was Oct. 1. The benefit is funded by a new payroll tax, which takes effect January 1, 2022. Nearly all Washington employees are subject to the tax, which is 0.58% of a worker’s total wages with no salary cap. That means an employee earning $100,000 will pay $580 into the fund. On the first day workers could opt out of the benefit — and, by extension, opt out of the payroll tax — the page on the WA Cares Fund website where employees could submit applications crashed before noon and was down for several hours.”

LTC Comment, Stephen A. Moses, President, Center for Long-Term Care Reform:

WA Cares Fund adds insult to injury.