On Friday, December 17, 2021, Governor Inslee, as well as Senate Majority Leader Andy Billig and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins, issued statements implementing a delay in the WA Cares program. Specifically: 

• The statements “strongly encourage” employers not to withhold the premium, which would have otherwise gone into effect January 1, 2022.
• The Washington Employment Security Department will not collect the employee premiums from employers before April 2022, at the earliest.
• Washington State will not assess penalties or interest on employers who do not withhold the premium from employees’ wages.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash