Title 41 — Title 41 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS
37 chapters · 1,408 sections in this title.
RCW 41.56.010 Declaration of purpose.
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The intent and purpose of this chapter is to promote the continued improvement of the relationship between public employers and their employees by providing a uniform basis for implementing the right of public employees to join labor organizations of their own choosing and to be …
RCW 41.56.030 Definitions.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***As used in this chapter:(1) "Adult family home provider" means a provider as defined in RCW 70.128.010 who receives payments from the medicaid and state-funded long-term care programs.(2) "Bargaining representative" means any lawful orga…
RCW 41.56.040 Right of employees to organize and designate representatives without interference.
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No public employer, or other person, shall directly or indirectly, interfere with, restrain, coerce, or discriminate against any public employee or group of public employees in the free exercise of their right to organize and designate representatives of their own choosing for th…
RCW 41.56.041 Right to strike not granted.
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Nothing contained in this chapter shall permit or grant any public employee the right to strike or refuse to perform his or her official duties.[ 2012 c 117 s 85; 1967 ex.s. c 108 s 12. Formerly RCW 41.56.120.]
RCW 41.56.045 Unfair labor practices for public employer enumerated.
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It shall be an unfair labor practice for a public employer:(1) To interfere with, restrain, or coerce public employees in the exercise of their rights guaranteed by this chapter;(2) To control, dominate, or interfere with a bargaining representative;(3) To discriminate against a …
RCW 41.56.047 Unfair labor practices for bargaining representative enumerated.
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It shall be an unfair labor practice for a bargaining representative:(1) To interfere with, restrain, or coerce public employees in the exercise of their rights guaranteed by this chapter;(2) To induce the public employer to commit an unfair labor practice;(3) To discriminate aga…
RCW 41.56.051 Commission to prevent unfair labor practices and issue remedial orders and cease and desist orders.
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(1) The commission is empowered and directed to prevent any unfair labor practice and to issue appropriate remedial orders: PROVIDED, That a complaint shall not be processed for any unfair labor practice occurring more than six months before the filing of the complaint with the c…
RCW 41.56.052 Department to prevent unfair labor practices and issue remedial orders—Application to state civil service employees.
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See RCW 41.06.340.
RCW 41.56.061 Employee authorization of membership dues and other payments—Revocation.
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(1) Upon the authorization of an employee within the bargaining unit and after the certification or recognition of the bargaining unit's exclusive bargaining representative, the employer shall deduct from the payments to the employee the monthly amount of dues as certified by the…
RCW 41.56.065 Information to be provided to exclusive bargaining representative by employer.
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(1) If the employer has the information in the employer's records, the employer shall provide to the exclusive bargaining representative the following information for each employee in an appropriate bargaining unit:(a) The employee's name and date of hire;(b) The employee's conta…
RCW 41.56.067 Presenting information about the exclusive bargaining representative—Access to new employees.
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(1)(a) The employer must provide the exclusive bargaining representative reasonable access to new employees of the bargaining unit for the purposes of presenting information about their exclusive bargaining representative to the new employee. The presentation may occur during a n…
RCW 41.56.071 Right of employee representing bargaining unit to be absent from employment during legislative session—Replacement.
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Any public employee who represents fifty percent or more of a bargaining unit or who represents on a statewide basis a group of five or more bargaining units shall have the right to absent himself or herself from his or her employment without pay and without suffering any discrim…
RCW 41.56.073 Rights of employees and bargaining representatives of school districts dissolved due to financial insolvency.
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Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, employees and bargaining representatives of school districts that are dissolved due to financial insolvency shall have resort to collective bargaining, including grievance arbitration and other processes, only to the extent pro…
RCW 41.56.075 Certain communications—Privilege from examination and disclosure.
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The privilege established by RCW 5.60.060(11) shall apply to all employee organizations covered by this chapter and in all proceedings authorized by this chapter.[ 2023 c 202 s 4. Formerly RCW 41.56.520.]Notes:Findings—2023 c 202: See note following RCW 5.60.060.
RCW 41.56.081 Department-contracted individual providers—Family child care providers—Adult family home providers—Language access providers—Employee authorization of membership dues and other payments—Revocation—Third-party entity permitted to act as an individual provider's agent.
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(1) This subsection (1) applies only if the state makes the payments directly to a provider.(a) Upon the authorization of an individual provider who contracts with the department of social and health services, a family child care provider, an adult family home provider, or a lang…
RCW 41.56.090 Rules and regulations.
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The commission shall promulgate, revise or rescind such rules and regulations as it may deem necessary or appropriate to administer the provisions of this chapter in conformity with the intent and purpose of this chapter and consistent with the best standards of labor-management …
RCW 41.56.093 Applicability of administrative procedure act to commission action.
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Actions taken by or on behalf of the commission shall be pursuant to chapter 34.05 RCW, or rules adopted in accordance with chapter 34.05 RCW, and the right of judicial review provided by chapter 34.05 RCW shall be applicable to all such actions and rules.[ 1994 c 58 s 2. Formerl…
RCW 41.56.101 Application of chapter.
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This chapter shall apply to any county or municipal corporation, or any political subdivision of the state of Washington, including district courts and superior courts, except as otherwise provided by RCW 54.04.170, 54.04.180, and chapters 41.59, 47.64, and 53.18 RCW.[ 1999 c 217…
RCW 41.56.105 Fish and wildlife officers—Application of chapter.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to the state with respect to fish and wildlife officers except the state may not negotiate any matters relating to retirement benefits or health care benefits or other employee insurance benefits.(2) F…
RCW 41.56.111 Application of chapter to passenger-only ferry employees.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter does apply to:(1) Public employees of public transportation benefit areas providing passenger-only ferry service as provided in RCW 47.64.090; and(2) Public employees of ferry districts providing passenger-only fe…
RCW 41.56.131 Application of chapter to education providers under chapter 28A.193 RCW.
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This chapter applies to the bargaining unit of classified employees of school districts, educational service districts, or institutions of higher education that are education providers under chapter 28A.193 RCW. Such bargaining units must be limited to the employees working as ed…
RCW 41.56.139 School district collective bargaining agreements.
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(1) All collective bargaining agreements entered into between a school district employer and school district employees under this chapter after June 10, 2010, as well as bargaining agreements existing on June 10, 2010, but renewed or extended after June 10, 2010, shall be consist…
RCW 41.56.145 Application of chapter to charter schools.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to any charter school established under chapter 28A.710 RCW. Any charter school established under chapter 28A.710 RCW is a separate employer from any school district, including the school district in which…
RCW 41.56.151 Application of chapter to individual providers under chapter 74.39A RCW.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to individual providers who have contracts with the department under chapter 74.39A RCW.[ 2018 c 278 s 28; 2002 c 3 s 12 (Initiative Measure No. 775, approved November 6, 2001). Formerly RCW 41.56.026.]Not…
RCW 41.56.153 Application of chapter to family child care providers—Governor as public employer—Procedure—Intent.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to the governor with respect to family child care providers. Solely for the purposes of collective bargaining and as expressly limited under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the governor is the…
RCW 41.56.155 Application of chapter to adult family home providers—Governor as public employer—Procedure—Intent.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.010, this chapter applies to the governor with respect to adult family home providers. Solely for the purposes of collective bargaining and as expressly limited under subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the governor is the…
RCW 41.56.157 Application of chapter to language access providers—Governor as public employer—Procedure—Intent—Report.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5944.SL) ***(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to the governor with respect to language access providers. Solely for the purposes of collective bargaining and as expressly limited under subsections (2) and (3…
RCW 41.56.202 Disagreement in selection of bargaining representative—Consolidation of bargaining units—Intervention by commission.
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(1) In the event that a public employer and public employees are in disagreement as to the selection of a bargaining representative, the commission shall be invited to intervene as is provided in *RCW 41.56.090, 41.56.211, 41.56.221, and 41.56.240.(2) If a single employee organiz…
RCW 41.56.211 Determination of bargaining unit—Bargaining representative.
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(1) The commission, after hearing upon reasonable notice, shall decide in each application for certification as an exclusive bargaining representative, the unit appropriate for the purpose of collective bargaining. In determining, modifying, or combining the bargaining unit, the …
RCW 41.56.221 Election to ascertain bargaining representative.
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In the event the commission elects to conduct an election to ascertain the exclusive bargaining representative, and upon the request of a prospective bargaining representative showing written proof of at least thirty percent representation of the public employees within the unit,…
RCW 41.56.231 Certification of bargaining representative—Cross-check.
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(1) Except as provided under subsection (2) of this section, if only one employee organization is seeking certification as the exclusive bargaining representative of a bargaining unit for which there is no incumbent exclusive bargaining representative, the commission may determin…
RCW 41.56.240 Certification of bargaining representative—Scope of representation.
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The bargaining representative which has been determined to represent a majority of the employees in a bargaining unit shall be certified by the commission as the exclusive bargaining representative of, and shall be required to represent, all the public employees within the unit w…
RCW 41.56.300 Authority and duty of employer to engage in collective bargaining—Limitations—Mediation, grievance procedures upon failure to agree.
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(1) A public employer shall have the authority to engage in collective bargaining with the exclusive bargaining representative and no public employer shall refuse to engage in collective bargaining with the exclusive bargaining representative. However, a public employer is not re…
RCW 41.56.310 Collective bargaining agreements—Effect of termination—Application of section.
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(1) After the termination date of a collective bargaining agreement, all of the terms and conditions specified in the collective bargaining agreement shall remain in effect until the effective date of a subsequent agreement, not to exceed one year from the termination date stated…
RCW 41.56.320 Retroactive date in collective bargaining agreements allowable, when.
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Whenever a collective bargaining agreement between a public employer and a bargaining representative is concluded after the termination date of the previous collective bargaining agreement between the same parties, the effective date of such collective bargaining agreement may be…
RCW 41.56.350 Collective bargaining agreements—Binding arbitration.
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Subject to RCW 41.58.070, a collective bargaining agreement may provide for binding arbitration of a labor dispute arising from the application or the interpretation of the matters contained in a collective bargaining agreement.[ 2021 c 13 s 2; 2019 c 230 s 11; 1975 1st ex.s. c 2…
RCW 41.56.360 Arbitrators—Selection—Additional method.
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Except for law enforcement personnel grievance arbitrations subject to RCW 41.58.070, in addition to any other method for selecting arbitrators, the parties may request the public employment relations commission to, and the commission shall, appoint a qualified person who may be …
RCW 41.56.401 Application of chapter to employees of institutions of higher education—Exceptions—Limitations on bargaining.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to employees of institutions of higher education who are exempted from civil service pursuant to RCW 41.06.070(2), with the following exceptions:(a) Executive employees, including all members of the go…
RCW 41.56.403 Application of chapter to University of Washington printing craft employees.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter shall apply to the University of Washington with respect to the printing craft employees in the department of printing at the University of Washington.[ 1987 c 484 s 1. Formerly RCW 41.56.022.]Notes:*Reviser's not…
RCW 41.56.407 Application of chapter to certain postdoctoral and clinical university employees.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to postdoctoral and clinical employees as excluded in chapter 41.76 RCW at the University of Washington and at Washington State University.[ 2012 c 255 s 1. Formerly RCW 41.56.513.]Notes:*Reviser's note: T…
RCW 41.56.411 Application of chapter to classified employees of technical colleges.
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In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter shall apply to classified employees of technical colleges as provided for in RCW 28B.50.874.[ 1991 c 238 s 112. Formerly RCW 41.56.024.]Notes:*Reviser's note: This RCW reference has been corrected to reflect the r…
RCW 41.56.421 Application of chapter to academic employees.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification covered in subsection (2) of this section on any campus of Central Washington University, Eastern Washington University,…
RCW 41.56.423 University of Washington—Certain employees enrolled in an academic program—Scope of collective bargaining.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to the University of Washington with respect to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification in (a) through (i) of this subsection on any University of Washington campu…
RCW 41.56.425 Washington State University—Certain employees enrolled in an academic program—Scope of collective bargaining.
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(1) In addition to the entities listed in *RCW 41.56.101, this chapter applies to Washington State University with respect to employees who are enrolled in an academic program and are in a classification in (a) through (g) of this subsection on any Washington State University cam…
RCW 41.56.501 Uniformed personnel—Legislative declaration.
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The intent and purpose of chapter 131, Laws of 1973 is to recognize that there exists a public policy in the state of Washington against strikes by uniformed personnel as a means of settling their labor disputes; that the uninterrupted and dedicated service of these classes of em…
RCW 41.56.511 Uniformed personnel—Negotiations—Declaration of an impasse—Appointment of mediator.
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Negotiations between a public employer and the bargaining representative in a unit of uniformed personnel shall be commenced at least five months prior to the submission of the budget to the legislative body of the public employer. If no agreement has been reached sixty days afte…
RCW 41.56.521 Uniformed personnel—Interest arbitration panel—Powers and duties—Hearings—Findings and determination.
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If an agreement has not been reached following a reasonable period of negotiations and mediation, and the executive director, upon the recommendation of the assigned mediator, finds that the parties remain at impasse, then an interest arbitration panel shall be created to resolve…
RCW 41.56.525 Interest arbitration panel a state agency.
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An interest arbitration panel created pursuant to *RCW 41.56.521, in the performance of its duties under chapter 41.56 RCW, exercises a state function and is, for the purposes of this chapter, a state agency. Chapter 34.05 RCW does not apply to proceedings before an interest arbi…
RCW 41.56.530 Uniformed personnel—Interest arbitration panel—Determinations—Factors to be considered.
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(1) In making its determination, the panel shall be mindful of the legislative purpose enumerated in *RCW 41.56.501 and, as additional standards or guidelines to aid it in reaching a decision, the panel shall consider:(a) The constitutional and statutory authority of the employer…
RCW 41.56.535 Uniformed personnel—Arbitration panel—Rights of parties.
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During the pendency of the proceedings before the arbitration panel, existing wages, hours, and other conditions of employment shall not be changed by action of either party without the consent of the other but a party may so consent without prejudice to his or her rights or posi…