Governor Inslee and Democratic Leadership announced today that the implementation of the Long-term Services and Supports Trust (LTSS) program will be paused for the time being. Originally set to become effective Jan. 1, 2022, the delay of the program means that employers can also delay assessing the .58% premium on employee wages.

Governor Inslee, along with leaders in both the House and Senate, encourage employers to pause planned premium collections from employees so that lawmakers can address existing issues and make necessary improvements to the program. Currently, the LTSS program delay is planned to last through the 2023 legislative session, and employers will not be subject to any penalties or interest for not assessing the premium on employee wages during this time.

WSDA recommends that members maintain any private long-term care insurance coverage they have already secured in order to remain exempt from the LTSS program when the program eventually becomes effective.