Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2189: Expanding eligibility for voluntary workers' compensation settlements.

HB 2189 lowers the age requirement for voluntary workers' compensation settlements from 50 to 40 years old for workers with self-insured employers, directly affecting those under 50 who currently cannot use this option. The bill maintains the existing 50-year threshold for state fund claims but aligns self-insured settlement eligibility with 44 other states that allow settlements for workers over 18. Key mechanisms include keeping the 180-day waiting period before settlement, requiring board approval, and mandating a review by an industrial appeals judge if a worker is unrepresented by an attorney. The bill preserves the same settlement structure - covering all benefits except medical care - with options for lump-sum or structured payments based on state wage averages.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands workers' compensation access by lowering age requirement from 50 to 40 for self-insured employers, increasing eligibility for settlements and aligning with 44 states' standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workers' Compensation Workplace Safety

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 2, 2026

SB 5852: Concerning immigrant worker protections.

SB 5852 requires Washington employers to notify workers and their representatives within 72 hours if a federal agency conducts an inspection of employment verification forms (I-9) or worker records. It mandates posting multilingual notices in workplaces and sending written notices to all current and recent workers (within the last three years), including details about the federal agency and inspection. The law aims to ensure immigrant workers are informed during federal immigration enforcement actions, with notices required in the five most commonly used non-English languages in the state. Employers must also provide affected workers with copies of federal inspection results. This applies to all Washington employers, including state agencies and businesses.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires employers to notify immigrant workers during federal inspections, ensuring transparency and protection during enforcement actions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires employers to notify workers about federal inspections, protecting immigrant workers' rights during enforcement actions and ensuring transparency in workplace records.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Enforcement Sanctuary Policies Work Authorization Labor Standards

Track

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5865: Concerning garnishment forms.

SB 5865 standardizes the forms employers must use when responding to wage garnishment orders in Washington State. It requires employers to provide specific details about the defendant's employment status, earnings, existing garnishments, and calculate disposable earnings using a uniform form developed by the Washington pattern forms committee. This change aims to reduce errors in wage garnishment calculations and clarify employer obligations, directly affecting employers who handle garnishment orders.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStandardizes garnishment forms to reduce errors in wage calculations, protecting workers' right to accurate disposable earnings by clarifying employer obligations.75% confidence

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Feb 26, 2026

SB 5869: Concerning notice requirements of identified hazards at construction worksites.

SB 5869 requires Washington construction inspectors to notify employers or owners within 10 working days when an immediate hazard causing potential worker injury is found during an on-site inspection. This applies only to inspections of construction worksites (classified under NAICS 236) and expires June 30, 2026. The bill does not change existing safety standards but mandates this specific notification process, which employers must still address through their existing safety programs. By December 1, 2026, the Department of Labor must report to the legislature on cases where timely notice wasn’t provided and the reasons for non-compliance.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates timely hazard notifications for construction workers, enhancing workplace safety protocols without altering existing standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workplace Safety

Track

signed · Washington · Senate Mar 18, 2026

SB 5944: Concerning language access providers' collective bargaining.

SB 5944 establishes a collective bargaining framework for language access providers who work with specific state agencies, including those providing interpreter services for Department of Social and Health Services, Department of Children, Youth, and Families, and Department of Labor and Industries appointments. The bill designates the governor as the public employer solely for bargaining purposes, creating three statewide bargaining units based on service type (e.g., Medicaid appointments, injured workers, or general state agency support). It limits bargaining to economic issues like pay rates, training, grievance procedures, and health benefits - excluding retirement benefits - and requires the governor to submit budget requests for approved agreements, subject to legislative approval. Providers remain non-employees for all purposes outside bargaining, and the law explicitly preserves federal compliance obligations and legislative authority over service delivery.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill establishes collective bargaining for language access providers serving healthcare agencies (e.g., Medicaid appointments), improving patient access to health services through interpreter support.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes collective bargaining framework for language access providers, directly supporting workers' right to organize under Labor & Employment policies.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Collective Bargaining

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5835: Concerning the threshold for payment of a lump sum retirement allowance in lieu of a monthly benefit.

SB 5835 raises the threshold for receiving a lump sum retirement payment (instead of monthly benefits) from $50 to $250 annually adjusted. It applies to Washington state public employees and beneficiaries whose calculated monthly retirement benefit would be below this new threshold. The bill requires the lump sum to be the greater of the actuarial equivalent of future monthly payments or the member's accumulated contributions plus interest. It also includes specific rules for converting from monthly to lump sum payments and for reinstating retirement service if a member returns to work. This change affects retirees and beneficiaries under Washington's public retirement systems (41.40, 41.32, 41.35, and 41.37).

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill ensures public employees receive fair retirement benefits by requiring lump sums to equal actuarial value or accumulated contributions, protecting worker financial security.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

Track

signed · Washington · House Mar 30, 2026

HB 2105: Concerning immigrant worker protections.

HB 2105 requires Washington employers to notify workers within 72 hours if federal agencies plan I-9 form or worker record inspections. It mandates posting notices in five common non-English languages at workplaces, sending written notices to workers' last known addresses, and sharing federal inspection results with affected workers. The law directly affects all Washington employers and immigrant workers who may face federal immigration verification checks. Key provisions include multilingual notice requirements, timelines for employer communication, and a template for compliance developed by the Attorney General. This bill creates a formal process for transparency during federal I-9 audits, aiming to protect workers' rights during inspections.

Topics ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationRequires employers to notify immigrant workers of federal I-9 inspections, mandates multilingual notices, and shares inspection results - directly protecting workers' rights and limiting surprise federal enforcement actions.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates employer notifications and multilingual notices for immigrant workers facing federal inspections, directly strengthening worker rights and access to information during I-9 checks.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Work Authorization

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2216: Protecting emergency responders and emergency response operations in Washington.

HB 2216 strengthens protections for emergency responders by amending Washington’s obstruction law (RCW 9A.76.020) to define "emergency responder" broadly to include firefighters, paramedics, and other emergency personnel responding to active incidents. It makes willfully interfering with these responders a gross misdemeanor, covering situations where responders are in uniform, announce their role, or are reasonably identifiable as such. The bill also includes new provisions requiring cities and counties to revise policies to prevent using local resources for immigration enforcement, ensuring services remain available regardless of immigration status. These changes directly affect emergency personnel, public safety responders, and local government agencies operating in Washington.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill explicitly strengthens protections for emergency responders (firefighters, paramedics) by making interference a gross misdemeanor, directly enhancing workplace safety and worker rights during operations.95% confidence

Tags Public Safety

Track

signed · Washington · House Mar 11, 2026

HB 2107: Concerning notice requirements of identified hazards at construction worksites.

HB 2107 requires Washington construction site inspectors to provide employers or owners with written notice within 10 working days when they identify an immediate safety hazard during inspections that could cause worker injury. This applies specifically to residential building and general construction projects under the North American Industry Classification System. The law, effective until June 30, 2026, mandates this notice but does not change inspectors' existing authority or the employer's obligation to correct hazards. It also requires the Department of Labor to report by December 1, 2026, on instances where timely notice wasn't given and the reasons for non-compliance.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates written hazard notices to prevent worker injury, strengthening construction site safety protocols per bill's explicit safety focus.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Workplace Safety

passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5905: Concerning membership in the public employees' retirement system for port workers who participate in a federal railroad retirement plan, a union-sponsored defined benefit retirement plan, or another employer-funded private pension plan.

SB 5905 amends Washington state law to ensure port workers who participate in federal railroad retirement plans, union-sponsored defined benefit plans, or private employer-funded pension plans are not excluded from the state's public employees' retirement system. The bill specifically modifies RCW 41.40.023 to clarify that such port workers retain eligibility for membership in the state retirement system, removing a previous barrier based on their existing retirement plan participation. This change directly affects port workers employed in Washington who already have alternative retirement coverage. The policy adjustment ensures port workers can access the state retirement system without being denied membership solely due to their prior enrollment in other qualified retirement plans.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRemoves barrier preventing port workers from accessing state retirement benefits, expanding worker benefits under employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Retirement Benefits

Track