The bill establishes the Essential Worker Health Care Program in Washington, aimed at addressing the workforce crisis in nursing homes, particularly among essential health care workers who are predominantly older women, women of color, and immigrants living near poverty. The program intends to provide high-quality, affordable health coverage to nursing home workers through participating employers. It includes provisions for increased funding to nursing home operators who commit to offering such health care benefits, and mandates that these funds supplement existing health care funding rather than replace it.

The bill outlines specific requirements for nursing home employers to participate in the program, including entering into a memorandum of understanding with the department, maintaining spending on employee health care benefits, and providing documentation of their health care expenditures. Additionally, it establishes a certification process for qualified health funds that employers must use to offer health care benefits, ensuring compliance with various standards. The bill also includes enforcement mechanisms, such as recouping funds from employers that fail to comply with the program's requirements, and stipulates that the program's implementation is contingent upon federal approval for financial participation.