To apply for a WA Cares exemption, log in to SecureAccess Washington at secureaccess.wa.gov, open the Paid Family and Medical Leave portal, set up a WA Cares Exemption account, choose the exemption type that fits your situation, upload your supporting documents, and submit. The Employment Security Department reviews the application and sends the approval letter through your online account or the email you provided. Approval removes the 0.58% payroll deduction, but it also permanently or conditionally shuts you out of the fund’s benefits, so confirm you qualify before starting.
Who Can Apply
Only a few worker categories are eligible, and the exemption is either permanent or conditional depending on the category.
- Veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher. This is the only permanent, unconditional exemption. Once approved, you never contribute and never recertify. It falls under RCW 50B.04.085.1Washington State Legislature. RCW 50B.04.085 – Premium Assessment – Exemptions
- Workers whose permanent home address is in another state. This is a conditional exemption. If you later move to Washington, it ends and premiums restart.
- Spouses and registered domestic partners of active-duty U.S. military members. This is conditional. It lasts as long as the service member remains on active duty and the relationship continues.
The out-of-state and military-spouse exemptions are governed by RCW 50B.04.055.2Washington State Legislature. RCW 50B.04.055 – Voluntary Exemptions – Criteria, Rules, and Procedures
Non-Immigrant Visa Holders Should Not Apply
As of January 1, 2026, workers on non-immigrant work visas are automatically exempt. There is no application to file. Your employer should stop withholding the 0.58% premium without you doing anything.3WA Cares Fund. Exemptions
The automatic exemption only holds while your visa is valid and unexpired. If it expires, or you become a permanent resident or U.S. citizen, withholding starts again. If you’re on a non-immigrant visa and you actually want to participate, notify your employer in writing that you’d like to keep contributing.
Documents to Gather Before You Start
Every applicant needs their full legal name, Social Security Number, date of birth, email address, and mailing address. The supporting document depends on your exemption category.
- Veterans: a disability award letter from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs showing a service-connected disability rating of 70% or higher.
- Out-of-state residents: proof of primary residence outside Washington, such as a valid out-of-state driver’s license or a current utility bill at your out-of-state address.
- Military spouses or domestic partners: documentation linking you to an active-duty service member, such as a Department of Defense ID card, marriage certificate, or active-duty orders.
The application requires digital uploads, so scan or photograph these documents and have the files ready before you log in.4WA Cares Fund. Apply for an Exemption
Submitting the Application
The application is entirely online. You reach it through a SecureAccess Washington (SAW) account. If you don’t already have one, create it at secureaccess.wa.gov first.
Once you’re logged in:
- Open the Paid Family and Medical Leave portal.
- Set up a WA Cares Exemption account.
- Select the exemption type that matches your situation.
- Fill in your personal information.
- Upload your supporting documents.
- Submit.
The system generates a confirmation that your application has been received. The Employment Security Department has not published an official processing timeline, so check your account periodically. The approval letter arrives through your online account or your email. If your application is denied, the WA Cares Fund website does not currently outline a formal appeals process; call the Employment Security Department at 833-717-2273 as your next step.
Giving Your Approval Letter to Your Employer
Approval does not automatically stop the 0.58% deduction. Under state law, it’s your responsibility to give a copy of the approval letter to your employer, and they must stop collecting the premium once they have it on file.5Washington State Legislature. RCW 50B.04.090 – Long-Term Services and Supports Trust Program – Exemption From Premiums
Deliver the letter as soon as you receive it. Premiums withheld before your employer gets the letter are generally not refunded by the state. If your employer keeps withholding after receiving your approval letter, the employer is required to return those incorrectly withheld amounts to you.6WA Cares Fund. Frequently Asked Questions
If you need another copy for a new employer, log in to your WA Cares exemption account to download it, or call 833-717-2273 to request one.
Keeping a Conditional Exemption Valid
Veterans with the permanent 70%+ disability exemption don’t have to do anything further. If your exemption is conditional, though, your obligation continues after approval.
You must notify both the Employment Security Department and your employer within 90 days if your qualifying circumstance changes.3WA Cares Fund. Exemptions Common triggers:
- Moving your permanent residence into Washington.
- A spouse or domestic partner leaving active-duty service.
- Divorce or the end of a registered domestic partnership.
Once your exemption ends, your employer must resume withholding the 0.58% premium. Failing to report a change can leave you liable for back premiums covering the period after you stopped qualifying. This is where people get caught: they move to Washington, forget to notify ESD, and later discover they owe premiums for every paycheck since the move.
What You Give Up by Exempting
Exempt workers do not contribute to the fund and cannot access its benefits. Benefits become available starting July 2026, with a lifetime benefit of up to $36,500 that adjusts for inflation over time.7WA Cares Fund. Benefit Coverage Qualifying requires meeting one of three contribution pathways, ranging from 10 years of contributions to as little as one year for workers born before January 1, 1968.8WA Cares Fund. How the Fund Works Time spent exempt does not count toward any of those pathways. For a younger worker, a permanent exemption may mean never qualifying at all.
The Private Insurance Exemption Is Closed
Washington previously offered an exemption for workers who already carried private long-term care insurance purchased on or before November 1, 2021. That application window ran from October 1, 2021, through December 31, 2022, and is permanently closed. No new applicants can use this pathway.3WA Cares Fund. Exemptions
Workers approved under this category hold a permanent exemption and don’t need to recertify or maintain the private policy to keep it active.
Changing Your Mind: Rescinding an Exemption
Between January 1, 2026, and June 30, 2028, workers who hold a permanent exemption, whether based on private insurance or a 70%+ veteran disability, can voluntarily give it up and rejoin the fund.3WA Cares Fund. Exemptions
To rescind, log in to your WA Cares exemption account through SecureAccess Washington, select your Exemption ID, and click “Discontinue” on the WA Cares Exemption Summary page. The Employment Security Department will mail you a discontinuation letter. Give that letter to your employer so withholding can start. Once you rescind, you begin building toward the contribution requirements for benefits from that point forward. You cannot get credit for the years you were exempt.