Resources are available for you or your family.
It can be challenging when you or a family member is sick or injured. Determining what help is available should not be one of the challenges. The PEBB Program offers long-term disability (LTD) insurance, and Washington State offers Paid Family and Medical Leave (PMFL) and the WA Cares Fund. These benefits might seem similar, but each serves a specific purpose.
Long-term disability (LTD)
For eligible employees who are unable to work.
If you are unable to work for an extended period of time due to a serious injury or illness, your employer may offer employer-paid LTD insurance, which pays a portion of your salary. This payment continues until you are either able to return to work or you retire. If you are eligible for LTD, your employer will contribute to this coverage each month.
Employees of employer groups: If you are an employee of a county, municipality, political subdivision, tribal government, or educational service district, check with your payroll or benefits office to see if LTD is offered.
If your employer offers it, employees can also enroll in employee-paid LTD coverage, or they can opt out of this benefit.
To learn more about your LTD benefit, select your member type:
Paid Medical and Family Leave (PMFL)
For employees unable to work due to a medical or family event.
PMFL, administered by the Washington Employment Security Department, has two parts:
- Paid medical leave
- Paid family leave
If you experience a health condition and are unable to work for a limited time, you may qualify for paid medical leave. If you need time off work to provide care for an ill family member, bond with a new child, or spend time with a family member who is active military and will be serving (or has just returned from serving) overseas, you may qualify for family leave.
Both medical and family leave provide up to 90 percent of your weekly earnings for up to 12 weeks a year (additional time may be granted if you have qualifying family and medical leave events in the same year).
Visit Washington's PMFL website to learn more about this benefit.
WA Cares Fund
For eligible employees or retirees in need of long-term care.
The WA Cares Fund, administered by the Washington Department of Social and Health Services, aims to ease the financial struggles many Washingtonians face by helping to plan for future care. Most of us, 7 out of 10 to be exact, will need long-term care at some point in our lifetime. Long-term care refers to help with everyday activities when you’re unable to do them because of illness, injury, disability, or cognitive or physical impairment. Some examples include help with bathing, getting dressed, or cooking a meal.
Employees who contribute to WA Cares Fund will be eligible to receive up to a $36,500 lifetime benefit for long-term care. This benefit will be available to employees and eligible retirees beginning July 1, 2026.
Visit the WA Cares Fund website to learn more about this benefit.