Labor & Employment (Labor Standards)

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 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

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1831: Allowing for corrections to wage and salary disclosures.

HB 1831 requires employers with 15 or more employees to disclose wage ranges and benefits in all job postings, including internal transfers and promotions. It adds a 10-day correction window for employers to fix posting errors after receiving written notice from applicants or employees, preventing penalties if corrected within that time. The bill amends Washington’s existing wage transparency law (RCW 49.58.110) to clarify this correction process. It directly affects employers and job seekers in Washington state by standardizing disclosure requirements and reducing enforcement penalties for minor, fixable errors.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires wage range disclosure in job postings, strengthening transparency for workers and preventing penalties for minor errors in compliance.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards

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passed · Washington · Senate Mar 12, 2026

SB 5061: Requiring certain wages in public works contracts to be at least the prevailing wage in effect when the work is performed.

Senate Bill 5061 changes how wages are determined for laborers, workers, and mechanics on public works projects in Washington state. It requires that the hourly minimum wage paid on these contracts must be adjusted to the prevailing rate of wage in effect at the time the work is performed. This means wages will no longer be frozen at the rate from when project bids were submitted, but will update according to current prevailing wage adjustments published by the Department of Labor and Industries. The bill aims to ensure fair labor standards for workers throughout the duration of public construction projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires public works wages to update to current prevailing rates, preventing wage stagnation and protecting worker compensation under Labor & Employment standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Minimum Wage

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 12, 2026

HB 1387: Concerning the prevailing wages on public works.

HB 1387 changes how prevailing wages are set for public construction projects in Washington. It requires the state to use existing collective bargaining agreement rates for unionized trades until May 31, 2027, and then adopt the rate covering the majority of workers (or the most workers if no majority exists) for most trades starting June 1, 2027. Shipbuilding and ship repair trades will use the highest available collective bargaining rate in a county for all contracts after 2027. This directly affects public works contractors and unionized construction workers, ensuring wage rates align with actual union agreements rather than wage surveys in most cases.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates use of collective bargaining rates for unionized trades until 2027, preserving union wage standards and supporting worker bargaining power.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5293: Concerning the prevailing wages on public works.

SB 5293 updates Washington's public works wage rules for construction projects. Until May 2027, it requires using the highest wage from union contracts in a county. After June 2027, it mandates adopting the wage rate covering the majority of workers in a trade (or the most common rate if no majority exists), with an appeal process for disputes. Shipbuilding and ship repair maintain a separate rule using the highest union rate. The bill directly affects construction workers and contractors on state-funded public projects.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentRequires highest union wage rates for public works construction, protecting worker pay and supporting collective bargaining standards.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Collective Bargaining Labor Standards

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5539: Expanding protections for workers in the state paid family and medical leave program.

SB 5539 updates Washington’s state paid family and medical leave program to improve benefit accuracy and accessibility. It adjusts maximum weekly benefits to 90% of the state average weekly wage (starting at $1,000), clarifies that postnatal leave must be designated as medical leave unless workers choose family leave, and extends maximum leave duration to 18 weeks for pregnancy-related health conditions. The bill requires employers to provide written rights statements and ensures outreach materials are available in multiple languages, directly affecting all workers enrolled in the state’s paid leave program. These changes refine existing benefit calculations and administrative procedures without expanding eligibility.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends medical leave for pregnancy-related health conditions, ensuring access to healthcare services without income loss and clarifies medical leave designations.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands paid leave benefits, increases weekly max to 90% wage, extends leave duration, clarifies medical leave - strengthens worker protections under Labor & Employment.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave Workers' Compensation

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 12, 2026

SB 5578: Concerning labor standards.

SB 5578 updates Washington's labor standards by clarifying who qualifies as an "employee" for wage and leave protections, directly affecting most workers while maintaining specific exemptions. Key provisions include requiring paid vacation leave for exempt employees (like managers and professionals) under new accrual rules, expanding the definition of "family member" for leave purposes, and adding new exclusions for certain agricultural, domestic, and volunteer roles. The bill amends existing labor codes to strengthen coverage for workers not currently protected under current definitions, such as those in executive or professional roles. It does not change basic overtime rules but ensures consistent paid leave standards across more job categories.

Topics ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentAdds paid vacation for exempt employees, expands family leave definition, strengthens wage/leave protections for most workers per bill summary.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

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