After months of confusion about whether to begin withholding premiums from employees’ paychecks on January 1, 2022, employers and employees in Washington state have gotten a reprieve from the controversial payroll tax for the long-term services and support program, called the WA Cares Fund.
On January 27, 2022, Governor Jay Inslee signed into law Substitute House Bill 1732, which quickly passed in the House and Senate, to delay the payroll tax until July 2023. The law requires employers to refund any premiums they have collected within 120 days of (a) the employer's collection of the premiums from the employee, or (b) the state's reimbursement of the employer for premiums already remitted. Governor Inslee also signed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1733, which added promised exemptions for certain Washington workers.
Last month, Governor Inslee, Senate Majority Leader Andy Billing, and House Speaker Laurie Jinkins released a joint statement proposing the delay of the premium assessment so legislature could change the law to “better serve disabled veterans, military spouses, non-residents, and near retirees will improve the program.” At that time, they also suggested “[a] pause will also give the Long Term Care Commission the ability to study and make recommendations about residents who move out of Washington to retire and assure that those who have opted out of the program maintain their private insurance policies.” The statement noted that the changes to the law might...
Alec Stapp said people often overlook that the case against Elizabeth Holmes included straightforward financial fraud, specifically lying about revenue. Stapp made this observation in reference to...