Title 49, LABOR REGULATIONS

A principal who is not a resident of this state and who enters into a contract subject to RCW 49.48.150 through 49.48.190 is considered to be doing business in this state for purposes of the exercise of personal jurisdiction over the principal. [ 1992 c 177 s 4.] Notes: Severabil…

(1) RCW 49.48.150 through 49.48.190 supplement but do not supplant any other rights and remedies enjoyed by sales representatives. (2) A provision of RCW 49.48.150 through 49.48.190 may not be waived, whether by express waiver or by attempt to make a contract or agreement subject…

(1) Debts due the state or a county or city for the overpayment of wages to their respective employees may be recovered by the employer by deductions from subsequent wage payments as provided in RCW 49.48.210, or by civil action. If the overpayment is recovered by deduction from …

(1) Except as provided in subsection (10) of this section, when an employer determines that an employee was overpaid wages, the employer shall provide written notice to the employee. The notice shall include the amount of the overpayment, the basis for the claim, a demand for pay…

The office of financial management shall adopt the rules necessary to implement chapter 77, Laws of 2003. [ 2003 c 77 s 3.]

(1)(a) Subject to the availability of funds appropriated for this purpose, the wage recovery program is created and administered by the department. The purpose of the wage recovery program is to allow the department to disburse funds to unpaid low-wage employees, prior to the dep…

The wage recovery account is created in the custody of the state treasurer. All receipts from civil penalties collected under this chapter and chapter 49.46 RCW, and all moneys recovered from wage complaints assigned to the department as authorized under this section must be depo…

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 …

All moneys collected by any employer from his or her or its employees and all money to be paid by any employer as his or her contribution for furnishing, either directly, or through contract, or arrangement with a hospital association, corporation, firm, or individual, of medicin…

In case any employer collecting moneys from his or her employees or making contributions to any type of benefit plan for any or all of the purposes specified in RCW 49.52.010, shall enter into a contract or arrangement with any hospital association, corporation, firm, or individu…

All moneys realized by any employer from the employer's employees either by collection or by deduction from the wages or pay of employees intended or to be used for the furnishing to workers engaged in extrahazardous work, their families or dependents, of medical, surgical or hos…

If any such employer shall default in any such payment to any physician, surgeon, hospital, hospital association or any other parties to whom any such payment is due, the sum so due may be collected by an action at law in the name of the physician, surgeon, hospital, hospital ass…

Any employer or officer, vice principal or agent of any employer, whether said employer be in private business or an elected public official, who (1) Shall collect or receive from any employee a rebate of any part of wages theretofore paid by such employer to such employee; or (2…

The provisions of RCW 49.52.050 shall not make it unlawful for an employer to withhold or divert any portion of an employee's wages when required or empowered so to do by state or federal law or when a deduction has been expressly authorized in writing in advance by the employee …

Any employer and any officer, vice principal or agent of any employer who shall violate any of the provisions of RCW 49.52.050 (1) and (2) shall be liable in a civil action by the aggrieved employee or his or her assignee to judgment for twice the amount of the wages unlawfully r…

The violations by an employer or any officer, vice principal, or agent of any employer of any of the provisions of subdivisions (3), (4), and (5) of RCW 49.52.050 shall raise a presumption that any deduction from or underpayment of any employee's wages connected with such violati…

Every person, whether as a representative of an awarding or public body or officer, or as a contractor or subcontractor doing public work, or agent or officer thereof, who takes or receives, or conspires with another to take or receive, for his or her own use or the use of any ot…

In all assignments of property made by any person to trustees or assignees on account of the inability of the person at the time of the assignment to pay his or her debts, or in proceedings in insolvency, the wages of the miners, mechanics, salespersons, servants, clerks, or labo…

In case of the death of any employer, the wages of each miner, mechanic, salesperson, clerk, servant, and laborer for services rendered within sixty days next preceding the death of the employer, not exceeding one hundred dollars, rank in priority next after the funeral expenses,…

In cases of executions, attachments, and writs of similar nature issued against any person, except for claims for labor done, any miners, mechanics, salespersons, servants, clerks, and laborers who have claims against the defendant for labor done, may give notice of their claims …

In distraint or insolvency proceedings affecting the assets of an employer, claims for labor, salaries or wages not to exceed six hundred dollars to each claimant which have been earned within three months before the date of the distraint or commencement of the proceeding shall b…

(1) The legislature finds that despite existing equal pay laws, there continues to be a gap in wages and advancement opportunities among workers in Washington, especially women and workers in other protected classes. Income disparities limit the ability of these workers to provid…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Compensation" means discretionary and nondiscretionary wages and benefits provided by an employer to an employee as a result of the employment relationship. (2) "Depa…

(1) Any employer in this state who discriminates in any way in providing compensation based on a person's gender or membership in a protected class between similarly employed employees of the employer is guilty of a misdemeanor. If any employee receives less compensation because …

(1) The legislature finds that equality of opportunity for advancement is key to reducing income disparities based on gender and memberships in protected classes. The legislature further finds that using gender or membership in a protected class as a factor in advancement contrib…

(1) An employer may not: (a) Require nondisclosure by an employee of his or her wages as a condition of employment; or (b) Require an employee to sign a waiver or other document that prevents the employee from disclosing the amount of the employee's wages. (2) An employer may not…

An employer may not retaliate, discharge, or otherwise discriminate against an employee because the employee has filed any complaint, or instituted or caused to be instituted any proceeding under this chapter, or has testified or is about to testify in any such proceeding, or bec…

(1) Upon complaint by an employee, the director must investigate to determine if there has been compliance with RCW 49.58.020, 49.58.040, and 49.58.050, and the rules adopted under this chapter. The director, upon complaint, may also initiate an investigation on behalf of one or …

(1) Subject to subsection (2) of this section, an employee may bring a civil action against an employer for violation of RCW 49.58.020 and 49.58.030 through 49.58.050 for actual damages; statutory damages equal to the actual damages or five thousand dollars, whichever is greater;…

A violation of this chapter occurs when a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice is adopted, when an individual becomes subject to a discriminatory compensation decision or other practice, or when an individual is affected by application of a discriminatory compen…

The department may adopt rules to implement this chapter. [ 2025 c 115 s 2; 2018 c 116 s 11.]

(1) An employer may not: (a) Seek the wage or salary history of an applicant for employment from the applicant or a current or former employer; or (b) Require that an applicant's prior wage or salary history meet certain criteria, except as provided in subsection (2) of this sect…

(1) Required disclosures in postings. (a) The employer must disclose in each posting for each job opening: (i) The wage scale or salary range, except where the employer is offering only a fixed wage amount for the opening, the employer must disclose the fixed wage amount rather t…

(1) Unless driving is one of the essential job functions or is related to a legitimate business purpose for a position, it is unlawful for an employer to: (a) Require a valid driver's license as a condition of employment; or (b) Include a statement in a posting for a job opening …

The department must develop educational materials and conduct outreach to inform individuals and businesses of the new provisions related to discrimination based on membership in a protected class. [ 2024 c 353 s 5.] Notes: Effective date—2024 c 353: See note following RCW 49.58.…

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…

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…

(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…

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 inj…

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; 19…

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.]

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…

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 28…

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.]

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…

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…