Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1764: Concerning labor standards.

HB 1764 proposes to clarify and expand definitions within Washington's labor standards law, primarily by redefining "family member" to include stepchildren, de facto parents, and individuals regularly residing in an employee's home who depend on them for care. The bill also updates exclusions from labor coverage, such as certain farm laborers paid piece-rate, domestic workers in private homes, and minor league baseball players under collective bargaining agreements. As a proposed amendment to existing statutes (not a new law), it aims to refine who is protected under labor standards but does not establish new benefits or penalties. The bill is currently under review by the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands labor coverage by redefining 'family member' and removing exclusions for domestic workers, farm laborers, and minor league players, strengthening worker protections under labor standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5422: Allowing bargaining over matters related to the use of artificial intelligence.

SB 5422 requires public employers in Washington State, including universities and state agencies, to negotiate with employee unions over decisions to adopt or change artificial intelligence (AI) technology when those changes affect employees' wages or performance evaluations. This bill amends existing labor laws (RCW 41.56 and 41.80) to specifically include AI-related workplace changes in mandatory bargaining topics. The law applies only to AI uses impacting wages or evaluations, not all technology decisions, and does not affect existing contracts until their renewal. Public sector employees covered under these labor codes are the direct beneficiaries of this requirement.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates public employers to negotiate AI-related changes affecting wages/performance evaluations with unions, strengthening collective bargaining rights under labor laws.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Tags Artificial Intelligence

Track

signed · Washington · House May 15, 2025

HB 1934: Concerning the disclosure of information pertaining to complainants, accusers, and witnesses in an employment investigation.

House Bill 1934 modifies state law concerning the public disclosure of information from employment investigation records held by public agencies. The bill requires that after an investigation into discrimination or harassment is complete, the names, images, job titles, and contact information of complainants, accusers, and witnesses must be redacted, and their voices altered on audio recordings, before public disclosure, unless they consent. However, if an elected government official is a complainant, their name and title will not be redacted from the investigatory records once the investigation is concluded. This directly affects public employees and individuals involved in such investigations, as well as public agencies responsible for these records.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill protects worker privacy in investigations by mandating redaction of personal details, encouraging reporting of discrimination/harassment without fear of retaliation.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Employment Discrimination

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5220: Modifying small works roster requirements for cities.

SB 5220 modifies Washington state law to change how first-class cities can use city employees for public construction projects instead of hiring contractors. It sets a 10% limit on the total public works budget that can be done by city employees (with penalties for exceeding it), and adds dollar caps: $300,000 for multi-trade projects and $151,000 for single-trade projects like street lighting. Cities must report their employee work usage to the state auditor annually and cannot split projects to avoid the limits. The bill also updates rules for the "small works roster" process, allowing cities to use pre-approved contractors for recurring work with fixed unit pricing.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesBill imposes 10% budget cap on city employee work and project dollar limits, restricting spending flexibility within public works budgets.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRestricts city employment in public works by limiting budget allocation to 10% and imposing project caps, reducing municipal worker opportunities.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1035: Creating policies and resources to address secondary traumatic stress in the higher education workforce.

HB 1035 requires Washington's public community colleges, technical colleges, and regional universities to adopt policies addressing secondary traumatic stress among faculty and staff. It mandates developing model policies with specific elements, including mental health support, diversity-focused workplace climates, campus mental health committees, and annual reporting. Institutions must post these policies publicly by September 2025 and incorporate all required elements into their own policies by the start of the 2025-26 academic year. The bill also requires colleges to publish online links to mental health resources, self-assessment tools, and best practices for their workforce.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates mental health support and diversity-focused policies for higher education staff, strengthening workforce well-being and retention in educational institutions.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates mental health support services as required policy element for college staff, directly advancing mental health resources in workplace settings.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates mental health support and safe workplace policies for faculty/staff, directly advancing workplace safety standards under Labor & Employment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Testing & Assessment Mental Health

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1779: Authorizing agricultural employers to select 26 weeks a year to employ workers for up to 50 hours a week before overtime applies.

HB 1779 would allow Washington agricultural employers to select 26 weeks per year during which workers can be employed up to 50 hours weekly without triggering overtime pay. This creates a temporary seasonal exemption from the standard 40-hour overtime rule for all agricultural workers, specifically addressing concerns raised after Washington's 2021 repeal of overtime exemptions. The bill aims to help farms manage time-sensitive labor demands during peak harvest seasons. It directly affects agricultural employers and workers across Washington, which relies heavily on farming as its second-largest industry.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill exempts agricultural workers from overtime pay for 26 weeks, weakening a core labor protection requiring overtime after 40 hours.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

Track

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5476: Modifying the responsible bidder criteria for public works projects.

SB 5476 modifies Washington State's criteria for contractors to qualify as "responsible bidders" on public works projects. It requires bidders to either have completed at least one public project in the last three years without violations or have at least one trained employee (certified by the Department of Labor and Industries on public works rules), with exemptions for contractors with three+ projects and three+ years of business. The bill also mandates new apprentice utilization plans for projects subject to apprenticeship rules, including specific details like projected hours and program contacts, which must be submitted within 60 days of winning a contract. Contractors must verify compliance with all criteria through a sworn statement and the Department's public website, while state/municipalities may add supplemental requirements with clear appeal processes. These changes directly affect construction contractors bidding on state or local government projects requiring licensing or apprenticeship compliance.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires contractors to have Labor & Industries-certified trained employees for public works projects, enhancing workplace safety compliance standards.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Apprenticeships

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2052: Allowing agricultural employees to voluntarily waive overtime requirements for up to 15 workweeks in a calendar year.

HB 2052 allows Washington agricultural employees to voluntarily waive overtime pay for up to 15 workweeks per calendar year during peak harvest seasons. This directly affects farmworkers who choose to work more hours without receiving the standard 1.5x overtime rate, potentially increasing their earnings during busy periods. The bill amends state law to add this voluntary waiver option for agricultural employees, replacing previous seasonal overtime caps that limited hours during harvest. It does not change the standard overtime rate but provides a temporary, worker-initiated exception to overtime requirements.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill allows agricultural workers to waive overtime pay, weakening a core labor protection (overtime requirement) that ensures higher pay for extra hours. This directly restricts worker benefits.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Child Labor Labor Standards Minimum Wage

Track

in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 2026: Creating the fairness in education funding act.

HB 2026, the "Fairness in Education Funding Act," aims to create equitable school funding by replacing local levies (which disproportionately benefit wealthier districts) with uniform state-funded allocations. The bill sets new minimum state salary levels for school staff that will apply equally to all public school districts, charter schools, and state-tribal education compact schools starting in the 2026-27 school year. Specifically, it establishes baseline salaries of $100,033 (adjusted for inflation) for certificated instructional staff, $179,857 for certificated administrative staff, and $71,082 for classified staff. Regional adjustments to these salaries will phase out after the 2025-26 school year, ensuring all districts receive identical state funding for staff compensation regardless of location or local wealth.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesReplaces local levies with uniform state-funded allocations, mandating increased state budget expenditure for equitable education salaries.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationReplaces inequitable local levies with uniform state funding and sets $100,033+ baseline salaries for all school staff, directly advancing equitable funding and teacher compensation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEstablishes $100,033 baseline salary for all school staff, directly increasing wages and setting uniform employment standards per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics State Budget School Funding

Track

signed · Washington · House Apr 21, 2025

HB 1747: Expanding protections for applicants and employees under the Washington fair chance act.

HB 1747 expands protections for job applicants and employees under Washington's Fair Chance Act. The bill prohibits employers from inquiring about an applicant's criminal record until after a conditional offer of employment has been made. It also prevents employers from taking adverse employment action based on arrest records or juvenile conviction records. For adult conviction records, employers must have a legitimate business reason, notify the individual, and provide an opportunity for them to explain or provide additional information before making a decision.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeExpands Fair Chance Act to prevent employment discrimination based on criminal records, reducing barriers to reentry and aligning with criminal justice reform goals.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands job applicant protections by restricting criminal record inquiries pre-offer and preventing adverse actions based on certain records, strengthening worker rights under Fair Chance Act.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Juvenile Justice