Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1623: Prohibiting deductions for credit card transaction processing fees from employee tips.

HB 1623 prohibits employers from deducting credit card processing fees from employee tips. It requires that when customers pay tips via credit card, employees receive the full amount indicated on the credit card slip, without any reduction for transaction fees charged by the credit card company. This law directly affects tipped workers in Washington, such as servers and bartenders, and applies to all employers accepting credit card tips. The bill amends state law to ensure tips paid by credit card are paid in full to employees, eliminating employer deductions for processing costs.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentPrevents employers from deducting credit card fees from employee tips, directly protecting wage rights and ensuring full tip compensation for tipped workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1350: Modernizing reimbursement rates for the working connections child care program.

HB 1350 updates Washington's child care subsidy reimbursement rates to better match the actual cost of high-quality care. It requires the state to use a new "cost of quality" rate model that covers full provider costs - including living wages, benefits, staff training, and materials - instead of relying solely on the current 85th percentile market rate. This directly affects licensed child care providers serving families in the Working Connections Child Care program and aims to stabilize the child care workforce. The bill maintains the existing baseline reimbursement rate but mandates future rate recommendations must reflect these updated cost calculations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill increases state funding for child care subsidies by requiring reimbursement to cover full provider costs (wages, benefits, training), directly expanding government spending on this public service.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires reimbursement rates to cover living wages and benefits for child care workers, directly advancing employment standards and compensation in the sector.95% confidence

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1989: Concerning assaults committed against transit employees or contractors.

HB 1989 amends Washington State law to make assaults against transit employees a class C felony. The bill specifically targets assaults occurring while transit workers - such as operators, drivers, supervisors, mechanics, or security personnel - perform their official duties for public or private transit companies. This expands existing assault penalties to include these workers, increasing the offense level from a gross misdemeanor to a felony. The law applies directly to anyone committing such assaults, with no mention of exceptions or additional requirements beyond the worker's duty status.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill elevates assaults on transit workers to felony level (from gross misdemeanor), strengthening criminal justice penalties for violence against employees.90% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill increases penalties for assaults against transit workers (class C felony), directly strengthening workplace safety protections for laborers per Labor & Employment topic.95% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationBill elevates assault penalties against transit workers to felony, directly enhancing public transit safety and worker protection per transportation topic.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Violent Crime Public Transit

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1477: Concerning the Washington saves administrative trust account.

HB 1477 establishes a dedicated administrative trust account to cover the operational costs of Washington Saves, the state's automatic retirement savings program for eligible workers. The account, managed by the state treasurer, funds program administration (like staff and technology) but cannot pay employee benefits. It affects small businesses with 10,400+ combined employee hours annually that don’t offer retirement plans to long-term staff (called "covered employers"). Key rules include using only state/federal grants or interest earnings for admin costs, requiring director approval for spending, and prohibiting commingling with employee savings.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes dedicated trust account to fund Washington Saves program administration, ensuring essential operational costs are covered without affecting benefits.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes administrative funding for Washington Saves, an automatic retirement savings program expanding worker benefits for eligible employees under mandatory employer participation rules.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Retirement Benefits

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1777: Concerning the requirements and process for approving and registering apprenticeship programs.

HB 1777 streamlines the state approval process for apprenticeship programs that already have federal approval, directly affecting program sponsors (including tribal and nontribal organizations) and employers seeking to expand training opportunities. It requires the apprenticeship council to expedite reviews of federally-approved programs by limiting state-specific scrutiny to unique requirements, while reforming competitor objections: objections must be filed within 30 days of provisional approval, and frivolous objections can trigger penalties like attorney fee payments or $10,000 fines. The bill also mandates annual reports comparing Washington’s program approval rates to federal standards and other states, including details on pending applications and denial reasons. These changes aim to reduce current delays - where 4 of 17 2024 applications remained pending after federal approval - without altering apprenticeship content or creating new training slots.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentStreamlines apprenticeship approvals to expand training opportunities, directly supporting workforce development and employment standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships Professional Licensing

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passed · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5023: Providing labor market protections for domestic workers.

Senate Bill 5023 aims to establish labor market protections for domestic workers in Washington state, including nannies, house cleaners, and home care workers. It guarantees these workers minimum wage and overtime pay for hours exceeding 40 per week. The bill mandates uninterrupted meal and rest breaks and requires a written employment agreement outlining terms like pay rate, schedule, and deductions, provided in a language understood by both parties. It also ensures domestic workers can retain personal effects and, if living in the home, cook their own food, while also providing freedom from discrimination and sexual harassment.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentGuarantees minimum wage, overtime, breaks, and written agreements for domestic workers, strengthening labor protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1335: Protecting military spouses from employment discrimination.

HB 1335 adds "military spouse status" to Washington's anti-discrimination law, making it illegal for employers to discriminate against military spouses in hiring, firing, or employment conditions. The bill explicitly includes military spouses as a protected class under existing laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and other factors. It amends Washington’s civil rights statute (RCW 49.60) to guarantee military spouses the right to "obtain and hold employment without discrimination" and provides legal recourse for violations. This change directly affects military spouses in Washington and all employers covered by the state’s anti-discrimination law.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds military spouse status as protected class under anti-discrimination law, directly protecting employment rights and expanding workplace protections.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1564: Supporting employers providing child care assistance to employees by establishing a business and occupation and public utility tax credit.

HB 1564 creates a 100% tax credit for Washington employers that provide child care assistance to employees, directly affecting eligible businesses. The credit covers 100% of costs for two types of assistance: (1) employer-paid portions of employee wages used for child care expenses (like tuition), and (2) costs for in-house child care facilities. Employers can claim the credit against business and occupation taxes (Chapter 82.04 RCW) or public utility taxes (Chapter 82.16 RCW), but not both for the same costs. The credit is available from January 1, 2026, through December 31, 2037, with a final expiration date of January 1, 2038.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates 100% tax credit against business taxes for employer child care costs, reducing tax liability and incentivizing employee support, aligning with tax relief policies.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates tax credit for employer-provided child care, expanding employee benefits and supporting work-life balance for workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Business Taxes Tax Credits

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1523: Establishing the essential worker health care program.

HB 1523 establishes the Essential Worker Health Care Program to provide nursing home workers in Washington with access to high-quality, affordable health coverage through their employers. Participating nursing home operators receive supplemental funding to support multiemployer health plans, while committing to maintain or increase their spending on employee health benefits (adjusted for inflation) and use funds to supplement, not replace, existing coverage. Employers must document prior health care spending, allocate funds through certified health plans, and report annually on benefit improvements. The program targets workforce instability in nursing homes - where many workers are women of color and immigrants - by aiming to reduce turnover and improve care quality through better health care access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes program providing affordable health coverage for nursing home workers via employer-funded multiemployer plans, requiring maintained benefit spending.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill mandates employer funding for worker health benefits, requires maintained/increased spending on coverage, and expands access to affordable healthcare for nursing home workers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Long-Term Care

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5339: Linking increases in the minimum wage to the federal minimum wage.

SB 5339 would change Washington State's minimum wage calculation method, linking future increases directly to any annual raises in the federal minimum wage instead of using inflation adjustments. Starting December 30, 2025, the state minimum wage would only increase if the federal wage rises in the previous year, with no increase allowed if the federal rate stays the same. Local jurisdictions with higher minimum wages (above $16.66/hour as of the bill's effective date) cannot raise their rates further, though the state rate would override local rates if it increases. This affects all Washington employers and workers covered by state minimum wage laws, particularly small businesses operating on thin margins.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill prevents state minimum wage increases when federal rate stagnates, weakening wage growth for workers by tying adjustments to federal changes instead of inflation.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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