Under Gov. Jay Inslee’s Leadership, Washington State Ranked Best State For Working Families

Under Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee’s leadership, Washington state has been ranked the best state for working families during COVID-19 by Oxfam. Washington earned this ranking based on its unemployment benefits, worker protections and health care system during the pandemic.

Gov. Inslee’s paid family and medical leave program provides some of the most progressive benefits in the nation, which allow 12 weeks of paid medical leave to care for a serious health condition and up to 12 weeks of paid time off to care for an ailing family member. These benefits have been critical to families during COVID-19.

Gov. Inslee also recently created a program specifically for food production workers through The Food Production Paid Leave Program, which sets aside $3 million to pay food production workers who remain home when they are sick.

Washington also received high marks for protecting workers with mandatory face coverings and personal protective equipment, as well as a moratorium on evictions during the pandemic, relief from utility shutoffs, and a fund for undocumented workers.

Oxfam also ranked Washington the #1 state to work in 2018.

“Gov. Jay Inslee has led Washington State through an unprecedented public health crisis and maintained the nation’s best economy by supporting progressive economic measures” said DGA National Press Secretary Jerusalem Demsas. “Washingtonians are excited to re-elect Jay Inslee and support his record of investing in working families.”