WA Cares Fund Information

Union Represented Employees

In 2019 the state enacted a long-term care (LTC)  insurance benefit for all eligible Washingtonians, funded by worker contributions into a Trust Fund, now known as the WA Cares Fund.   Under this law, individuals will have access to a lifetime long-term care benefit of $36,500 that will be adjusted annually for inflation. Owners of private long-term care insurance may "opt-out" of the WA Cares Fund permanently by applying for an exemption. Once an employee is exempt, they are permanently ineligible for benefits from the WA Cares Fund.

Special note:  Union represented employees from IAM 751 and IUOE Welders will not be subject to the WA Cares Fund .58% payroll tax, which takes effect Jan. 1, 2022, until after the collective bargaining agreement has expired. After the agreement has expired, the .58% payroll tax is applicable. However, in order to opt-out of the payroll tax in the future, you must have long-term care coverage in place prior to Nov. 1, 2021. The chart below illustrates how the WA Cares Fund payroll tax will impact various salary ranges.