WA HB1213

Expands employment protection eligibility by phasing down employer size thresholds: 25+ employees (2026), 15+ employees (2027), and 8+ employees (2028 and thereafter), replacing the previous 50-employee minimum

Reduces the employment tenure requirement for job protection from 12 months and 1,250 hours to 180 calendar days with the current employer

Lowers the minimum claim duration from 8 consecutive hours to 4 consecutive hours of leave for benefit payments

Creates a simplified $3,000 grant program for employers with fewer than 50 employees when workers take family or medical leave, requiring only a written attestation rather than documentation

Requires employers to maintain health benefits during leave and provide written notice to employees about their employment restoration rights, with a maximum of 16-18 typical workweeks of protected leave within 52 weeks