Washington Governor Boosts Unemployment Benefits, Caps Taxes

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee signed a bill increasing state unemployment benefits and capping unemployment taxes for five years to prevent a $1.7 billion spike in tax rates.

Inslee, a Democrat, requested the legislation to help businesses and workers suffering the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The new law (S.B. 5061) will:

• expand unemployment benefits to people who are high risk for Covid-19, or live with others who are high risk, and quit their jobs during the public health emergency because they can’t work from home;
• waive some waiting period requirements and increase weekly benefits from ...