Title 73 — Title 73 VETERANS AND VETERANS' AFFAIRS

(1) It is the intent of the legislature to guarantee employment rights of members of the reserve and national guard forces who are called to active duty. The federal uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act of 1994 protects all such federal personnel. The legisla…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5420.SL) ***In every public department, and upon all public works of the state, and of any county thereof, soldiers, sailors, guardians, marines and other members of the uniformed services who are veterans of any war of the United States, or of any mil…

Any veteran entitled to the benefits of RCW 73.16.010 may enforce his or her rights hereunder by civil action in superior court.[ 2001 c 133 s 2; 1951 c 29 s 2.]Notes:Effective date—2001 c 133: See note following RCW 73.16.005.

All officials or other persons having power to appoint to or employment in the public service set forth in RCW 73.16.010, are charged with a faithful compliance with its terms, both in letter and in spirit, and a failure therein shall be a class 1 civil infraction.[ 1987 c 456 s …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5420.SL) ***The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.(1) "Attorney general" means the attorney general of the state of Washington or any person designated by the attorney general to car…

(1) A person who is a member of, applies to be a member of, performs, has performed, applies to perform, or has an obligation to perform service in a uniformed service shall not be denied initial employment, retention in employment, promotion, or any benefit of employment by an e…

Any person who is a resident of this state or is employed within this state, and who voluntarily or upon order from competent authority, vacates a position of employment for service in the uniformed services, shall, provided he or she meets the requirements of RCW 73.16.035, be r…

(1) In order to be eligible for the benefits of this chapter, an applicant must comply with the following requirements:(a) The applicant must notify his or her employer as to his or her membership in the uniformed services within a reasonable time of accepting employment or becom…

When any elective officer of this state or any political subdivision thereof, including any judicial officer, shall enter upon active service or training as provided in RCW 73.16.031, 73.16.033 and 73.16.035, the proper officer, board or other agency, which would ordinarily be au…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5420.SL) ***Any person who is entitled to be restored to a position in accordance with this chapter shall be considered as having been on furlough or leave of absence, from his or her position of employment, during his or her period of active military …

(1) If a person, or the person's dependents, have coverage under a health plan in connection with the person's position of state employment, and the person is absent from his or her position of state employment by reason of service in the uniformed services, the plan shall provid…

(1)(a) In the case of a right provided under any state law governing pension benefits for state employees, the right to pension benefits of a person reemployed under this chapter shall be determined under this section.(b) A person reemployed under this chapter shall be treated as…

(1) If any employer, or any employer's successor or successors, fails or refuses to comply with the provisions of RCW 73.16.031 through 73.16.061 and 73.16.090, the attorney general must bring action in the superior court in the county in which the employer is located or does bus…

The federal uniformed services employment and reemployment rights act, P.L. 103-353, as amended, is hereby specifically declared to apply in proper cases in all the courts of this state.[ 2014 c 65 s 7; 2001 c 133 s 11; 1941 c 201 s 5; Rem. Supp. 1941 s 10758-7.]Notes:Effective d…

An offset of any military pay for temporary service in the uniformed services in a particular week against the salary of a bona fide executive, administrative, or professional employee in a particular week shall not be a factor in determining whether the employee is exempt under …

This chapter shall not supersede, nullify, or diminish any federal or state law, ordinance, rule, regulation, contract, agreement, policy, plan, practice, or other matter that establishes a right or benefit that is more beneficial to, or is in addition to, a right or benefit prov…

The legislature declares that the public policies articulated in chapter 133, Laws of 2001 depend on the procedures established in chapter 133, Laws of 2001. No civil or criminal action may be maintained relying on the public policies articulated in chapter 133, Laws of 2001 with…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5420.SL) ***(1) The legislature intends to establish a permissive preference in private employment for certain veterans.(2) In every private, nonpublic employment in this state, honorably discharged soldiers, sailors, and marines who are veterans of an…

(1) The department of veterans affairs, employment security department, and department of commerce shall consult local chambers of commerce, associate development organizations, and businesses to initiate a demonstration campaign to increase veteran employment. This campaign may …

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …