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Hiring & Firing › Employer Responsibilities › Washington

Hiring & Firing refers to the process of recruiting, interviewing and offering employment and the process of evaluating performance and dismissing employees. Hiring & Firing is a highly regulated area and... more +
Hiring & Firing refers to the process of recruiting, interviewing and offering employment and the process of evaluating performance and dismissing employees. Hiring & Firing is a highly regulated area and can create tremendous liability for employers who fail to properly adhere to acceptable employment practices. Some of the potential pitfalls in this area stem from discriminatory hiring practices, improper performance evaluations, and retaliatory firings.  less -
Dickinson Wright

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

Dickinson Wright on

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

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

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani

Recently Passed Employment Laws Will Significantly Impact Washington Employers

Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani on

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

Epstein Becker & Green

Washington Overhauls Employment Laws on Reductions in Force and Background Checks

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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

Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt PC

Washington Employment Law Updates

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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.

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

Ballard Spahr LLP

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

Ballard Spahr LLP on

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

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

Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP

Washington Expands Employee Access to Personnel Files

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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

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

You’ve Been WARNed: Washington Enacts a mini-WARN Law

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The new law applies to employers with 50+ employees (excluding part-time workers) and mirrors many federal WARN Act provisions, with some notable distinctions....more

Littler

State and Local Updates Affect What Employers May (and May Not) Require from Job Applicants in Washington State

Littler on

It’s the season for legislative updates – and Washington State lawmakers are no exception. Job postings have recently been an area of focus in state and local laws. Two recent updates in Washington State impose new...more

Littler

Washington State Enacts New Legislation to Define Employee Access to Their Personnel Records and Termination Information

Littler on

As many Washington employers are acutely aware, there exists sparse statutory guidance on how employers must respond to personnel file requests by their employees – and no statutory definition of what constitutes a “personnel...more

Miles & Stockbridge P.C.

WARN is Coming to Washington State: What Employers Need to Know

Miles & Stockbridge P.C. on

Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson on May 13 signed the Securing Timely Notification and Benefits for Laid-Off Employees Act into law. Effective July 27, this statute mirrors the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Washington Amends EPOA, Bringing More Balance to Employer Job Posting Obligations

Seyfarth Shaw LLP on

On May 20, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Substitute Senate Bill 5408 (SSB 5408), enacting important amendments to the Washington Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA). The EPOA has been a hot topic in Washington after...more

Tonkon Torp LLP

The Amended Fair Chance Act Is Changing Background Check Requirements for Washington Employers

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Washington employers will soon be subject to new, more burdensome rules under recent amendments to the Washington Fair Chance Act. Passed this legislative session, HB 1747 goes into effect on July 1, 2026 for employers with...more

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Washington’s Fair Chance Act: New Amendments Transform Employer Background Check Policies

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In 2018, Washington enacted a Fair Chance Act, requiring covered employers to wait until after considering an applicant to be “otherwise qualified” for the position at issue to inquire about or consider criminal history when...more

Littler

Washington’s Amended Fair Chance Act Will Impose Additional Obligations on Covered Employers

Littler on

Washington State has an existing fair chance law (discussed here) but the statute, as amended by HB 1747, will impose additional obligations on employers that consider criminal records when vetting job applicants or...more

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