HB 1308 Washington House · 2025-2026 Regular Session

Concerning access to personnel records.

HB 1308 enhances the rights of employees and recent former employees in Washington state to access their own personnel records. It requires most employers to provide copies of personnel files, which explicitly include records like job applications, performance evaluations, and payroll, within 21 calendar days of a request at no cost. The bill also allows employees to petition for the removal of irrelevant information and to add rebuttals to their files. To ensure compliance, it establishes a private cause of action for violations, enabling individuals to sue employers for statutory damages ranging from $250 to $1,000, along with attorney's fees.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2025

Committee Review

Mar 2025

House Passage

Apr 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

May 2025

Introduced Jan 15, 2025 Signed May 13, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Substitute Bill → Substitute Passed Legislature · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill text now includes official certification pages confirming it passed both the House and Senate in April 2025, marking its transition from a draft to an enacted law. Additionally, the list of records employers must retain was shortened by removing payroll records and employment agreements, which may simplify compliance requirements for businesses.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding record retention was narrowed by excluding specific documents (payroll and employment agreements) from the required personnel file.

TECHNICAL

Added certification pages to formally document that the bill passed both legislative chambers.

REQUIREMENT

Removed the requirement to retain all payroll records in the employee's personnel file.

Removed the requirement to retain all employment agreements in the employee's personnel file.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 9, 2025 · House Apr 17, 2025

How they voted

34–17

Passed

Total votes 51

Apr 9, 2025

D Democratic31

30 Yea 1 Nay

96% Yea

R Republican20

4 Yea 16 Nay

80% Nay

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

May 13, 2025

Signed into law

Governor signed.

executive

Apr 19, 2025

Upper · Passed

President signed.

upper

Apr 18, 2025

Lower · Passed

Speaker signed.

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed final passage; yeas, 56; nays, 40; absent, 0; excused, 2.

lower

Apr 17, 2025

Lower · Passed

House concurred in Senate amendments.

lower

Apr 9, 2025

Upper · Passed

Floor amendment(s) adopted.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

LC - Majority; do pass.

upper

Mar 28, 2025

Upper · Passed

Executive action taken in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 8:00 AM.

upper

Mar 24, 2025

Upper · Passed

Public hearing in the Senate Committee on Labor & Commerce at 10:30 AM.

upper

Feb 4, 2025

Committee

Referred to Rules 2 Review.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; do not pass.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Minority; without recommendation.

lower

Jan 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Executive action taken in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 10:30 AM.

lower

Jan 22, 2025

Lower · Passed

Public hearing in the House Committee on Labor & Workplace Standards at 8:00 AM.

lower

1 primary · 24 co-sponsors