Title 49 — Title 49 LABOR REGULATIONS
40 chapters · 645 sections in this title.
RCW 49.60.010 Purpose of chapter.
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This chapter shall be known as the "law against discrimination." It is an exercise of the police power of the state for the protection of the public welfare, health, and peace of the people of this state, and in fulfillment of the provisions of the Constitution of this state conc…
RCW 49.60.020 Construction of chapter—Election of other remedies.
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The provisions of this chapter shall be construed liberally for the accomplishment of the purposes thereof. Nothing contained in this chapter shall be deemed to repeal any of the provisions of any other law of this state relating to discrimination because of race, color, creed, n…
RCW 49.60.030 Freedom from discrimination—Declaration of civil rights.
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(1) The right to be free from discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a…
RCW 49.60.040 Definitions.
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The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Aggrieved person" means any person who: (a) Claims to have been injured by an unfair practice in a real estate transaction; or (b) believes that he or she will be inju…
RCW 49.60.050 Commission created.
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There is created the "Washington state human rights commission," which shall be composed of five members to be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, one of whom shall be designated as chairperson by the governor.[ 1985 c 185 s 3; 1981 c 338 s 9; 195…
RCW 49.60.051 Board name changed to Washington State Human Rights Commission.
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From and after August 9, 1971 the "Washington State Board Against Discrimination" shall be known and designated as the "Washington State Human Rights Commission".[ 1971 ex.s. c 52 s 2.]
RCW 49.60.060 Membership of commission.
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One of the original members of the commission shall be appointed for a term of one year, one for a term of two years, one for a term of three years, one for a term of four years, one for a term of five years, but their successors shall be appointed for terms of five years each, e…
RCW 49.60.070 Compensation and reimbursement for travel expenses of commission members.
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Each member of the commission shall be compensated in accordance with RCW 43.03.250 and, while in session or on official business, shall receive reimbursement for travel expenses incurred during such time in accordance with RCW 43.03.050 and 43.03.060.[ 1985 c 185 s 5; 1984 c 287…
RCW 49.60.080 Official seal.
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The commission shall adopt an official seal, which shall be judicially noticed.[ 1985 c 185 s 6; 1955 c 270 s 5. Prior: (i) 1949 c 183 s 4, part; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 7614-23, part. (ii) 1949 c 183 s 6, part; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 7614-25, part.]
RCW 49.60.090 Offices of commission.
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The principal office of the commission shall be in the city of Olympia, but it may meet and exercise any or all of its powers at any other place in the state, and may establish such district offices as it deems necessary.[ 1985 c 185 s 7; 1957 c 37 s 6; 1955 c 270 s 6. Prior: (i)…
RCW 49.60.100 Reports of commission.
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Subject to RCW 40.07.040, the commission, each biennium, shall report to the governor, describing the investigations, proceedings, and hearings it has conducted and their outcome, the decisions it has rendered, the recommendations it has issued, and the other work performed by it…
RCW 49.60.110 Commission to formulate policies.
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The commission shall formulate policies to effectuate the purposes of this chapter and may make recommendations to agencies and officers of the state or local subdivisions of government in aid of such policies and purposes.[ 1985 c 185 s 9; 1949 c 183 s 5; Rem. Supp. 1949 s 7614-…
RCW 49.60.120 Certain powers and duties of commission.
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The commission shall have the functions, powers, and duties:(1) To appoint an executive director and chief examiner, and such investigators, examiners, clerks, and other employees and agents as it may deem necessary, fix their compensation within the limitations provided by law, …
RCW 49.60.130 May create advisory agencies and conciliation councils.
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The commission has power to create such advisory agencies and conciliation councils, local, regional, or statewide, as in its judgment will aid in effectuating the purposes of this chapter. The commission may empower them to study the problems of discrimination in all or specific…
RCW 49.60.140 Commission may hold hearings and subpoena witnesses.
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The commission has power to hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, take the testimony of any person under oath, and in connection therewith, to require the production for examination of any books or papers relating to any matter under invest…
RCW 49.60.150 Witnesses compelled to testify.
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No person shall be excused from attending and testifying or from producing records, correspondence, documents or other evidence in obedience to the subpoena of the commission or of any individual member, on the ground that the testimony or evidence required of the person may tend…
RCW 49.60.160 Refusals may be punished as contempt of court.
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In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena issued to any person, the superior court of any county within the jurisdiction of which the investigation, proceeding, or hearing is carried on or within the jurisdiction of which the person guilty of contumacy or refusal to obey…
RCW 49.60.170 Witness fees—Deposition fees.
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Witnesses before the commission, its member, agent, or agency, shall be paid the same fees and mileage that are paid witnesses in the courts of this state. Witnesses whose depositions are taken and the person taking the same shall be entitled to same fees as are paid for like ser…
RCW 49.60.172 Unfair practices with respect to HIV or hepatitis C infection.
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(1) No person may require an individual to take an HIV or hepatitis C test, as a condition of hiring, promotion, or continued employment unless the absence of HIV or hepatitis C infection is a bona fide occupational qualification for the job in question.(2) No person may discharg…
RCW 49.60.174 Evaluation of claim of discrimination—Actual or perceived HIV or hepatitis C infection.
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(1) For the purposes of determining whether an unfair practice under this chapter has occurred, claims of discrimination based on actual or perceived HIV or hepatitis C infection shall be evaluated in the same manner as other claims of discrimination based on sensory, mental, or …
RCW 49.60.175 Unfair practices of financial institutions.
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It shall be an unfair practice to use the sex, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, sexual orientation, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability of any person…
RCW 49.60.176 Unfair practices with respect to credit transactions.
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(1) It is an unfair practice for any person whether acting for himself, herself, or another in connection with any credit transaction because of race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sex, marital status, honorably discharged veteran or military s…
RCW 49.60.178 Unfair practices with respect to insurance transactions.
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(1) It is an unfair practice for any person whether acting for himself, herself, or another in connection with an insurance transaction or transaction with a health maintenance organization to cancel or fail or refuse to issue or renew insurance or a health maintenance agreement …
RCW 49.60.180 Unfair practices of employers.
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It is an unfair practice for any employer:(1) To refuse to hire any person because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the presence of any sens…
RCW 49.60.190 Unfair practices of labor unions.
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It is an unfair practice for any labor union or labor organization:(1) To deny membership and full membership rights and privileges to any person because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honor…
RCW 49.60.200 Unfair practices of employment agencies.
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It is an unfair practice for any employment agency to fail or refuse to classify properly or refer for employment, or otherwise to discriminate against, an individual because of age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immi…
RCW 49.60.205 Age discrimination—Limitation.
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No person shall be considered to have committed an unfair practice on the basis of age discrimination unless the practice violates RCW 49.44.090. It is a defense to any complaint of an unfair practice of age discrimination that the practice does not violate RCW 49.44.090.[ 1993 c…
RCW 49.60.208 Unfair practice—Religious affiliation disclosure.
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It is an unfair practice for an employer to:(1) Require an employee to disclose his or her sincerely held religious affiliation or beliefs, unless the disclosure is for the purpose of providing a religious accommodation at the request of the employee; or(2) Require or authorize a…
RCW 49.60.210 Unfair practices—Discrimination against person opposing unfair practice—Retaliation against whistleblower.
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(1) It is an unfair practice for any employer, employment agency, labor union, or other person to discharge, expel, or otherwise discriminate against any person because he or she has opposed any practices forbidden by this chapter, or because he or she has filed a charge, testifi…
RCW 49.60.214 Misrepresentation of an animal as a service animal—Civil infraction—Investigation and enforcement.
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(1) It shall be a civil infraction under chapter 7.80 RCW for any person to misrepresent an animal as a service animal or service animal trainee. A violation of this section occurs when a person:(a) Expressly or impliedly represents that an animal is a service animal or service a…
RCW 49.60.215 Unfair practices of places of public resort, accommodation, assemblage, amusement—Trained dog guides and service animals—Miniature horses—Damage caused by service animal trainee—Control of service animal trainee.
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(1) It shall be an unfair practice for any person or the person's agent or employee to:(a) Commit an act which directly or indirectly results in any distinction, restriction, or discrimination;(b) Require any person to pay a larger sum than the uniform rates charged other persons…
RCW 49.60.220 Unfair practice to aid violation.
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It is an unfair practice for any person to aid, abet, encourage, or incite the commission of any unfair practice, or to attempt to obstruct or prevent any other person from complying with the provisions of this chapter or any order issued thereunder.[ 1957 c 37 s 13. Prior: 1949 …
RCW 49.60.222 Unfair practices with respect to real estate transactions, facilities, or services.
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(1) It is an unfair practice for any person, whether acting for himself, herself, or another, because of sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, families with children status, honorably discharged veteran or…
RCW 49.60.223 Unfair practice to induce sale or rental of real property by representations regarding entry into neighborhood of persons of particular race, disability, etc.
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It is an unfair practice for any person, for profit, to induce or attempt to induce any person to sell or rent any real property by representations regarding the entry or prospective entry into the neighborhood of a person or persons of a particular race, creed, color, sex, natio…
RCW 49.60.2235 Unfair practice to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere regarding secured real estate transaction rights.
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It is an unlawful practice to coerce, intimidate, threaten, or interfere with any person in the exercise or enjoyment of, or on account of his or her having exercised or enjoyed, or on account of his or her having aided or encouraged any other person in the exercise or enjoyment …
RCW 49.60.224 Real property contract provisions restricting conveyance, encumbrance, occupancy, or use to persons of particular race, disability, etc., void—Unfair practice.
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(1) Every provision in a written instrument relating to real property which purports to forbid or restrict the conveyance, encumbrance, occupancy, or lease thereof to individuals of a specified race, creed, color, sex, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, sexual or…
RCW 49.60.225 Relief for unfair practice in real estate transaction—Damages—Penalty.
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(1) When a reasonable cause determination has been made under RCW 49.60.240 that an unfair practice in a real estate transaction has been committed and a finding has been made that the respondent has engaged in any unfair practice under RCW 49.60.250, the administrative law judge…
RCW 49.60.226 Cooperative agreements between units of government for processing complaints.
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The commission and units of local government administering ordinances with provisions similar to the real estate provisions of the law against discrimination are authorized and directed to enter into cooperative agreements or arrangements for receiving and processing complaints s…
RCW 49.60.227 Declaratory judgment action to strike discriminatory provision of real property contract—Restrictive covenant modification document as alternative.
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(1)(a) If a written instrument contains a provision that is void by reason of RCW 49.60.224, the owner, occupant, or tenant of the property which is subject to the provision or the homeowners' association board may cause the provision to be stricken from the public records by bri…
RCW 49.60.230 Complaint may be filed with commission.
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*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2355-S.SL) ***(1) Who may file a complaint:(a) Any person claiming to be aggrieved by an alleged unfair practice may, personally or by his or her attorney, make, sign, and file with the commission a complaint in writing under oath or by declaration. Th…
RCW 49.60.240 Complaint investigated—Procedure—Conference, conciliation—Agreement, findings—Rules.
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(1)(a) Except as provided for in (c) of this subsection, after the filing of any complaint, the chairperson of the commission shall refer it to the appropriate section of the commission's staff for prompt review and evaluation of the complaint. If the facts as stated in the compl…
RCW 49.60.243 Complaint investigated—Action taken against whistleblower—Written findings of fact—Required notice.
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(1) When the commission has completed the investigation of a complaint alleging workplace reprisal or retaliatory action against a whistleblower as defined in chapter 70.87 RCW, the commission must notify the complainant of the completion of the investigation. The commission must…
RCW 49.60.250 Hearing of complaint by administrative law judge—Limitation of relief—Penalties—Order—Arbitration.
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(1) In case of failure to reach an agreement for the elimination of such unfair practice, and upon the entry of findings to that effect, the entire file, including the complaint and any and all findings made, shall be certified to the chairperson of the commission. The chairperso…
RCW 49.60.260 Enforcement of orders of administrative law judge—Appellate review of court order.
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(1) The commission or any person entitled to relief of a final order may petition the court within the county wherein any unfair practice occurred or wherein any person charged with an unfair practice resides or transacts business for the enforcement of any final order which is n…
RCW 49.60.270 Appeal from orders of administrative law judge.
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Any respondent or complainant, including the commission, aggrieved by a final order of an administrative law judge may obtain judicial review of such order as provided under the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW. From the time a petition for review is filed, the cou…
RCW 49.60.280 Court shall expeditiously hear and determine.
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Petitions filed under RCW 49.60.260 and 49.60.270 shall be heard expeditiously and determined upon the transcript filed, without requirement of printing. Hearings in the court under this chapter shall take precedence over all other matters, except matters of the same character.[ …
RCW 49.60.310 Misdemeanor to interfere with or resist commission.
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Any person who wilfully resists, prevents, impedes, or interferes with the commission or any of its members or representatives in the performance of duty under this chapter, or who wilfully violates an order of the commission, is guilty of a misdemeanor; but procedure for the rev…
RCW 49.60.320 Governor may act on orders against state or political subdivisions.
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In any case in which the commission shall issue an order against any political or civil subdivision of the state, or any agency, or instrumentality of the state or of the foregoing, or any officer or employee thereof, the commission shall transmit a copy of such order to the gove…
RCW 49.60.330 First-class cities of over one hundred twenty-five thousand population—Administrative remedies authorized—Superior court jurisdiction.
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Any county or any city classified as a first-class city under RCW 35.01.010 with over one hundred twenty-five thousand population may enact resolutions or ordinances consistent with this chapter to provide administrative and/or judicial remedies for any form of discrimination pro…
RCW 49.60.340 Election for civil action in lieu of hearing—Relief.
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(1) Any complainant on whose behalf the reasonable cause finding was made, a respondent, or an aggrieved person may, with respect to real estate transactions pursuant to RCW 49.60.222 through 49.60.225, elect to have the claims on which reasonable cause was found decided in a civ…