Title 49, LABOR REGULATIONS

This act takes effect July 1, 2024. [ 2023 c 306 s 14.]

(1) Supermarkets and other grocery retailers are the primary points of distribution for food and other daily necessities for the residents of Washington and are therefore essential to the vitality of every Washington community. (2) The state has a compelling interest in ensuring …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Change in control" means any sale, purchase, assignment, acquisition, transfer, contribution, or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets, cash on …

(1)(a) The incumbent grocery employer must, within 15 days after the execution of the transfer document, provide to the successor grocery employer and any collective bargaining representative the name, address, date of hire, employment occupation classification, and, if known, th…

(1) A successor grocery employer must retain each eligible grocery worker hired pursuant to this chapter for at least 180 days after the eligible grocery worker's employment commencement date. During this 180-day transition employment period, eligible grocery workers must be empl…

(1) This section only applies to a successor grocery employer that, after a change in control, will own, control, or operate 20 or more grocery establishments. (2) Notwithstanding other provisions of this chapter, if a successor grocery employer does not hire an eligible grocery …

(1) The incumbent grocery employer must post public notice of the change in control at the location of the affected grocery establishment within five business days following the execution of the transfer document. Notice must remain posted during any closure of the grocery establ…

(1) An employer must not refuse to employ, terminate, reduce the compensation of, or otherwise take adverse action against any employee for seeking to enforce the employee's rights under this chapter, including participating in proceedings, opposing any practice prescribed by thi…

(1) An aggrieved employee or an employee representative, such as a collective bargaining representative or nonprofit corporation, may bring an action in the superior court of the state of Washington for violations of this chapter and may be awarded the following: (a) Hiring and r…

This chapter does not apply to grocery establishments that will be located in geographic areas designated by the United States department of agriculture as food deserts, based on the original food desert measure contained in the Food Access Research Atlas, provided that both of t…

(1) In the case of a change of control from a merger, a successor grocery employer may not cause a grocery establishment that is located in a geographic area designated by the United States department of agriculture as a food desert to cease being fully operational and open to th…

(1) This chapter does not apply to an incumbent grocery employer and the successor grocery employer executing the transfer document with that incumbent grocery employer, if the sum of both of the following is less than 300: (a) The number of grocery workers employed immediately p…

This chapter does not preempt any city, county, or city and county ordinances that provide equal or greater protection to eligible grocery workers. [ 2024 c 129 s 13.]

This chapter is not to be construed to limit an eligible grocery worker's right to bring legal action for wrongful termination. [ 2024 c 129 s 12.]

(1) Within this section, "sensory disability" means a sensory condition that materially limits, contributes to limiting, or, if not corrected or accommodated, will probably result in limiting an individual's activities or functioning. (2) The office of financial management shall …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Department" means the department of labor and industries. (2) "Director" means the director of the department of labor and industries or authorized representative. (3…

(1) It is an unfair practice for any employer to: (a) Fail or refuse to make reasonable accommodation for an employee for pregnancy, unless the employer can demonstrate that doing so would impose an undue hardship on the employer's program, enterprise, or business; (b) Take adver…

(1) The department shall investigate complaints and enforce this chapter. Prior to issuing any order under this subsection, the department must first contact the employer and attempt in good faith to reach agreement on reasonable accommodation or interim accommodation. If the dep…

(1) The department must adopt rules for purposes of implementing and enforcing this chapter including, but not limited to, rules establishing processes for enforcement and appeals of citations issued, and rules concerning the collection of civil penalties and other amounts owed. …

(1) The provisions of *RCW 43.10.005 as they existed immediately prior to January 1, 2027, apply to employee and employer conduct, acts, or omissions occurring on or before December 31, 2026, including but not limited to the enforcement provisions set forth in *RCW 43.10.005(6) a…

This chapter may be known and cited as the healthy starts act. [ 2025 c 379 s 6.] Notes: Effective date—2025 c 379: See note following RCW 49.92.020.

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Adult conviction record" means any record of or information about criminal conduct resulting in an adult criminal conviction, finding of guilt, or other finding adver…

(1) An employer may not include any question on any application for employment, inquire either orally or in writing, receive information through a criminal history background check, or otherwise obtain information about an applicant's criminal record until after the employer init…

(1) This chapter may not be construed to interfere with, impede, or in any way diminish any provision in a collective bargaining agreement or the right of employees to bargain collectively with their employers through representatives of their own choosing concerning wages, standa…

(1) The state attorney general's office shall enforce this chapter. Its powers to enforce this chapter include the authority to: (a) Investigate violations of this chapter on its own initiative; (b) Investigate violations of this chapter in response to complaints and seek remedia…

If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with federal requirements that are a prescribed condition to the allocation of federal funds to the state, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the agencies dire…

This act may be known and cited as the Washington fair chance act. [ 2018 c 38 s 8.]

(1) The legislature finds that, as the citizens of Washington state age and their life expectancy increases, demand for long-term care is also on the rise. Like many Americans, Washingtonians prefer to stay in their own homes and communities as they age, fueling an increased dema…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Abusive conduct" means conduct in a work setting that qualifies as workplace aggression, workplace violence, aggravated workplace violence, physical sexual aggression…

(1) Beginning July 1, 2021, each covered employer must adopt and maintain a comprehensive written policy concerning how the covered employer shall address instances of discrimination, abusive conduct, and challenging behavior and work to resolve issues impacting the provision of …

(1)(a) Beginning July 1, 2021, each covered employer shall implement a plan to prevent and protect employees from abusive conduct, to assist employees working in environments with challenging behavior, and work to resolve issues impacting the provision of personal care. This plan…

(1)(a) Covered employers must inform an employee of instances of discrimination and abusive conduct occurring in or around the service recipient's home care setting prior to assigning the employee to that service recipient, and throughout the duration of service, if those instanc…

(1) Covered employers are required to keep a record of any reported incidents of discrimination or abusive conduct experienced by an employee during the provision of paid personal care services. The records must be kept for at least five years following the reported act and must …

(1) The department of social and health services must convene a stakeholder work group to recommend policy changes and best practices for training employers, long-term care workers, and service recipients to keep home care settings free from discrimination and abusive conduct whi…

(1) The department may conduct investigations to ensure compliance when information is obtained that a covered employer may be committing a violation under this chapter or in response to complaints from employees or employee representatives for the following requirements of this …

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Casual labor" means work that is irregular, uncertain, and incidental in nature and duration, and is different in nature from the type of paid work in which the worke…

(1) A hiring entity shall pay the domestic worker compensation at a rate that is equal to or greater than the minimum hourly rate established by the department under RCW 49.46.020. (2) A hiring entity shall pay the domestic worker overtime compensation at a rate of not less than …

(1) A hiring entity shall specify the terms for a domestic worker's position or services and the domestic worker's rate of pay in a written agreement. If applicable for the position or services or if otherwise provided by the hiring entity, the written agreement must also include…

(1) The department shall develop and make available a model disclosure statement describing a hiring entity's obligations and a domestic worker's rights under this chapter in at least eight of the most commonly spoken languages in the state. The model disclosure must also include…

(1) A hiring entity may not: (a) Subject a domestic worker to conduct or allow a domestic worker to be subjected to conduct that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive work environment with the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with the domestic worker's perfo…

(1) A hiring entity may not interfere with, restrain, or deny the exercise of any right under this chapter by using a domestic worker's exercise of said right as a negative factor in any employment action or other similar action. (2)(a) A hiring entity may not take any adverse ac…

(1)(a) The department may conduct an investigation if a domestic worker files a complaint with the department alleging a violation of this chapter, excluding violations for RCW 49.96.020 which is enforced under chapter 49.48 RCW and RCW 49.96.060 which is enforced under said sect…

(1) Any hiring entity or other person aggrieved by a citation assessing a civil penalty, a determination of compliance, or other order issued by the department under this chapter may appeal the citation, determination, or order to the director by filing a notice of appeal with th…

(1) Collections of unpaid citations and penalties administered under this chapter must be handled pursuant to the procedures in RCW 49.48.086. (2) The department shall deposit civil penalties paid under this chapter into the supplemental pension fund established in RCW 51.44.033.…

A domestic worker injured by a violation of this chapter may bring a civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to recover the actual damages sustained by the worker, plus reasonable attorneys' fees and costs. [ 2026 c 15 s 10.] Notes: Effective date—2026 c 15: See note fo…

This chapter establishes minimum standards and rights of domestic workers in this state. Any standards and rights established by any other applicable federal, state, or local law or rule that are more favorable to domestic workers than the minimum standards and rights established…