Washington businesses would need to shoulder roughly $700 million in additional taxes in a few years unless the projected finances of the state’s unemployment insurance fund improve.
2026 is just around the corner and that means more small businesses will soon be required to follow the state’s paid family and medical leave job protections for their employees.
Those calling the state to check on their unemployment benefits or ask questions now have a smaller window to connect with a customer service representative.
Thousands more Washingtonians have filed for unemployment benefits since the beginning of the federal government shutdown, though it’s both a growing number of federal and private sector workers lining up for assistance.
Kadlec Regional Medical Center’s therapy services are cutting staff, as the regional hospital in Richland follows staffing reductions made at other Providence facilities in response to financial pressures.
Belt-tightening and uncertainty continue to grip Pacific Northwest National Laboratory as research programs hang in the balance between a swing in federal policy toward clean energy and congressional deadlock over a federal budget.
Lamb Weston has taken its shuttered Connell plant off the market and plans to invest millions in its Pasco plant as it starts a new fiscal year with some signs of improving fortunes.
The state Employment Security Department was scheduled to release its regular monthly employment report for September 2025 on Oct. 15, but it will be delayed until the federal shutdown ends.
