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Employer Responsibilities State Labor Laws Washington

Dickinson Wright

Are Employee Driver’s License Requirements in the Rearview Mirror? What Washington’s New Law Says

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Heads up, employers—a new law went into effect in Washington State this week (effective as of July 27, 2025) limiting when an employer can require job applicants and employees to have a valid driver’s license. A recent update...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Heat Waves and Hazy Days: A Compliance Reminder for Washington State Employers

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

As temperatures rise and wildfire season intensifies across the Pacific Northwest, Washington State employers must remain alert – for the safety of their workforce and to follow state law. The Washington State Department of...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Washington State Joins the Mini-WARN Act Club. How Will Layoffs and Business Closings Be Impacted?

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Washington is the latest state to enact a “mini-WARN” act, joining a growing number of states with legislation similar to the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act (WARN), 29 U.S.C. § 2101, et seq. The...more

Miller Nash LLP

Washington Employers: Does That Job Really Require a Valid Driver's License?

Miller Nash LLP on

Effective July 27, 2025, employers will have to carefully consider whether they should require that employees have a valid driver’s license as a condition of employment. In 2019, Washington State enacted the Equal Protection...more

Fox Rothschild LLP

Washington State Sees Surge in Wage-and-Hour Class Actions

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Washington employers are experiencing a significant rise in wage-and-hour class action lawsuits, a trend that has accelerated with the recent entry of several California-based law firms into the state. These firms,...more

Husch Blackwell LLP

Washington Establishes New Standard for Deliberate Injury Exception in Latent Disease Cases

Husch Blackwell LLP on

In May 2025, the Supreme Court of Washington overruled previous precedent regarding the deliberate intent to injure exception related to workers’ compensation immunity for employers, finding that an employee may sue its...more

Davis Wright Tremaine LLP

Significant Changes Are Coming to Washington's Paid Family Medical Leave Program in 2026

Employers should take note, amendments to Washington state's Paid Family and Medical Leave law (PFML) included in HB 1213 significantly broaden job restoration rights, attempt to address leave stacking issues, alter benefits...more

Littler

Washington Senate Bill 5041 Expands Unemployment Benefits to Striking and Locked-Out Workers

Littler on

Washington recently became the third state in the nation—joining New York and New Jersey—to offer unemployment benefits to workers on strike or locked out by their employers. Under the newly signed Senate Bill 5041, eligible...more

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

Recently Passed Employment Laws Will Significantly Impact Washington Employers

Recently, Washington State legislators passed several new and amended employment bills, which Governor Ferguson signed, enhancing protections for employees and increasing potential liability for employers. Employers need to...more

Miller Nash LLP

Washington Legislature Expands Domestic Violence Leave Act to Include Leave for Proceedings Relating to Hate Crimes

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Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed Senate Bill 5101 into law on May 20, 2025, which will amend Washington’s Domestic Violence Leave Act (DVLA) to include job protections for employees who seek certain types of assistance...more

Epstein Becker & Green

Washington Overhauls Employment Laws on Reductions in Force and Background Checks

Epstein Becker & Green on

The Washington State Legislature has been busy as usual this session. Two bills with significant implications for employers operating in Washington have recently been signed into law by Governor Bob Ferguson: a state...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

10 New Bills Go Into Effect in July for Washington State Employers

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In its 2025 regular session, the Washington State Legislature passed 10 bills impacting employers that will come into effect this year. These legal changes affect compliance obligations, employee benefits, and protections...more

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC

Washington Employment Law Updates

A series of employment-related bills have become law and will go into effect in the coming months and years. These new bills contain some significant changes that will likely affect most Washington employers. Understanding...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

2025 Changes to Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Program

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Washington has amended its Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program by making several key changes. In a significant departure from the former landscape, the amendments extend job restoration rights to employees of...more

Miller Nash LLP

Washington Legislature Expands Worker Protections and Clarifies “Stacking” Limits for Paid Family and Medical Leave

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On May 17, 2025, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed House Bill 1213, which both expands worker protections relating to Washington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (PFML) and allows an employer to limit...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Warning from the Lighthouse: Washington Supreme Court Elevates Informal Wage Directives

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

In the ever-evolving landscape of employment law, Washington employers find themselves at the crossroads of compliance and litigation, especially when it comes to handling wage complaints. The recent Washington State Supreme...more

Jackson Lewis P.C.

Washington State Employment Law: Key Legislative Changes Effective July–September 2025

Jackson Lewis P.C. on

Washington State continues to lead in progressive employment legislation with a number of new laws set to take effect in the coming months. These changes span a wide range of employment issues — from wage transparency and...more

Perkins Coie

Washington State Enacts New Notice Requirements for Business Closures and Mass Layoffs

Perkins Coie on

Key Takeaways - - The Washington state mini-WARN law, effective July 27, 2025, requires employers with 50 or more employees to provide 60 days' advance written notice of mass layoffs or business closures to the Washington...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

No Small Thing: Mini-Warn Act Comes to Washington State

Ballard Spahr LLP on

Washington is the latest state to enact a “mini-WARN” Act that will require employers with 50 or more full-time employees to provide at least 60 days’ notice to the state as well as any union or employees affected by a...more

Ballard Spahr LLP

Don’t Get Caught Off Guard: Top 10 Employment Law Changes in Washington State

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Employers operating in Washington State must take steps quickly to comply with a slew of new labor and employment laws passed by the Washington State Legislature during the recent session. These new laws significantly expand...more

Miller Nash LLP

New Hiring and Employment Records Laws Take Effect in Washington

Miller Nash LLP on

During the 2025 legislative session, Washington State enacted several new measures that will significantly impact employer obligations related to hiring practices and personnel recordkeeping. Two statewide bills—HB 1308 and...more

Littler

Washington Enacts New Protections Against Workplace Coercion Based on Immigration Status

Littler on

Effective July 1, 2025, Washington State will protect employees from coercion based on immigration status. Specifically, Senate Bill 5104 prohibits employers from exploiting a worker’s immigration status in furtherance of the...more

DLA Piper

New Requirements for Washington State Employers

DLA Piper on

In recent weeks, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson signed numerous employment-related bills, amending employer obligations and employee rights related to pay transparency, paid leave, use of criminal records, personnel...more

Littler

Washington State to Require Unpaid Leave and Safety Accommodations for Victims of a Hate Crime

Littler on

Effective January 1, 2026, Washington SB 5101 will require employers to provide leave and safety accommodations to employees who are victims of a hate crime or have a family member who is a victim of a hate crime....more

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

Washington Expands Employee Access to Personnel Files

Washington law provides employees with the right to inspect their personnel file annually upon request.  In April, the Washington legislature amended the personnel file access requirements.  The updated law is effective July...more

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