Labor & Employment

in committee · Washington · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 2728: Concerning consumer protection to prevent exploitation of Washington businesses through abusive litigation practices.

HB 2728 requires Washington employers with 15+ employees to disclose wage ranges and benefits in all job postings, aiming to prevent frivolous lawsuits over minor posting errors. It creates a 5-business-day "notice and cure" period where employers can fix violations before job applicants can file lawsuits, and sets statutory damages at $100-$5,000 per violation (considering factors like willfulness and employer size). The bill applies to all pending cases without final judgments as of its effective date, using the 2025 statutory framework for remedies. It sunsetts on July 27, 2027, and targets abusive litigation over technical compliance issues rather than consumer protection.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentBill creates barriers to worker lawsuits over wage disclosure errors (5-day cure period, capped damages), weakening enforcement of wage transparency requirements.92% confidence

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in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 16, 2026

SB 6199: Concerning contributions in the state paid family and medical leave program.

This bill adjusts how employer and employee contributions are distributed between family leave and medical leave premiums in Washington's state paid leave program. It specifies that employers may deduct up to 40% of the family leave premium and up to 45% of the medical leave premium from employee wages, while maintaining the total premium rate. Employers with fewer than 50 employees in the state are exempt from paying the employer portion of premiums, though they may choose to pay and qualify for state assistance. The bill also sets a maximum total premium rate of 1.20% and prevents local governments from creating competing leave programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareAdjusts medical leave premium structure to maintain access, ensuring workers can take time for health needs without income loss, aligning with healthcare access support.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentIncreases employee wage deductions for leave premiums (up to 40%/45%), reducing net take-home pay without strengthening benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Paid Leave

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signed · Washington · Senate Mar 17, 2026

SB 6106: Modifying the securing timely notification and benefits for laid-off employees act. (REVISED FOR ENGROSSED: Concerning the laid-off employees act.)

SB 6106 updates Washington’s law on notifying laid-off employees by excluding Indian tribes from the definition of "employer," meaning tribal employers will no longer be subject to the law’s notice and benefit requirements. It also adds a new exemption protecting employee names and addresses from public disclosure under the state’s open records law. These changes amend specific sections of Washington law (RCW 49.45.010 and RCW 42.56.230) to clarify who must comply and strengthen privacy safeguards for affected workers. The bill directly impacts tribal employers (no longer covered) and all employees whose personal information is now shielded from public access in employment records.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExcludes tribal employers from layoff notice/benefit requirements, reducing worker protections under the law.90% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyAdds exemption protecting employee names/addresses from public disclosure, strengthening data privacy under RCW 42.56.230, aligning with data privacy indicators.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Data Privacy

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 6141: Temporarily limiting the annual adjustment to the maximum weekly benefit amount for paid family and medical leave.

SB 6141 temporarily freezes the maximum weekly benefit amount for Washington's paid family and medical leave program at the 2025 level for 2027 benefits. This means the cap will not increase automatically on January 1, 2027, as it would have under the existing law, keeping the maximum at $1,000 per week for that year. The bill directly affects workers who use the state's paid leave program, preventing an annual adjustment that would otherwise raise the benefit cap based on state wage averages.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareBill freezes maximum weekly medical leave benefit at $1,000, preventing automatic increase that would have raised cap, directly limiting benefit amount for workers using the program.95% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentFreezes benefit cap at $1,000/week instead of automatic increase, restricting higher payments for workers using paid leave program.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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passed both · Washington · House Mar 9, 2026

HB 2675: Concerning accounts.

HB 2675 repeals seven existing state accounts (including the Climate Resiliency Account and COVID-19 Unemployment Account) and creates a new "abandoned recreational vehicle disposal account" in the state treasury. This account funds reimbursements for registered tow truck operators and licensed dismantlers who remove abandoned recreational vehicles when owners cannot be located, covering up to 100% of reasonable costs per vehicle (capped at $10,000). Funds may also cover department administrative expenses (up to 15% of spending) and must be used solely for this purpose after appropriation. The bill directly affects tow operators, dismantlers, and state agencies managing vehicle removal programs, streamlining fund management by consolidating related accounts into a single dedicated fund.

Topics ✗ EnvironmentOpposes EnvironmentRepeals Climate Resiliency Account (defunding climate resilience efforts); new account unrelated to environment. No environmental protections advanced.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentRepeals COVID-19 Unemployment Account, defunding unemployment benefits which directly weakens labor/employment support.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Unemployment

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 28, 2026

HB 2695: Exempting certain agricultural activities from mass layoff notice requirements.

HB 2695 exempts seasonal agricultural workers from Washington's mass layoff notice requirements when they are hired with a written agreement specifying their employment ends after a particular harvest or seasonal activity. This applies only if the employer disclosed the estimated end date at hiring and the workers understood their job was temporary. The bill modifies existing law to clarify that employers don't need to provide 60-day advance notice for seasonal farm workers in these circumstances. It does not affect year-round farm employees or other types of layoffs. This change directly impacts agricultural employers and seasonal farmworkers in Washington.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts seasonal agricultural workers from mass layoff notice requirement, weakening a worker protection that provides advance notice for job loss.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Unemployment

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 15, 2026

HB 2494: Concerning the department of labor and industries' authority to enact rules related to regulating asbestos training.

HB 2494 updates Washington’s asbestos worker and supervisor certification requirements under RCW 49.26.110. It mandates that certified asbestos workers complete a four-day training course and supervisors a five-day course, both approved by the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I). The bill explicitly limits L&I’s rulemaking authority to adopting rules only "specifically required" to meet federal standards for asbestos work, preventing stricter state rules than federal law. This directly affects asbestos workers, supervisors, and contractors needing certification for state-regulated asbestos removal or encapsulation projects.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentLimits state rulemaking authority for asbestos training, preventing stricter safety rules than federal standards, weakening worker protections.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Professional Licensing Workplace Safety

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in committee · Washington · House Jan 14, 2026

HB 2485: Concerning paid family medical leave benefits.

HB 2485 modifies Washington's paid family and medical leave program to prevent individuals from receiving both state benefits and employer-paid leave for the same period ("double-dipping"). It updates eligibility rules and adds requirements for the Employment Security Department to detect errors or fraud in claims. The bill amends specific statutes (RCW 50A.05.010, 50A.15.060, and 50A.35.030) to clarify definitions and improve program administration. These changes directly affect workers applying for state benefits and the state agency managing the program. The focus is on ensuring program integrity through clearer rules and fraud prevention mechanisms.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentPrevents double-dipping, restricting total benefits available to workers by limiting combined state/employer leave eligibility.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Labor Standards Paid Leave

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signed · Washington · House Mar 17, 2026

HB 2249: Amending the state civil service statutes to include Washington technology solutions network and security systems employees.

HB 2249 expands an existing exemption in Washington's civil service rules to include employees of Washington Technology Solutions (WTS) who handle network security, systems integration, and IT management. This specifically affects WTS staff performing IT security, data center management, and network systems engineering duties. The bill amends RCW 41.06.070 to add these positions to a list of state employees already exempt from standard civil service regulations. As a result, these IT workers will not be subject to the same hiring, promotion, and personnel rules that apply to most other state employees.

Topics ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentExempts IT security staff from civil service protections, removing standard employment safeguards like job security and fair hiring processes under RCW 41.06.070.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Employees

in committee · Washington · Senate Jan 14, 2026

SB 6142: Modifying the maximum duration of paid family and medical leave to improve program solvency.

SB 6142 reduces the maximum duration of paid family and medical leave in Washington from 12 weeks to 8 weeks for each type of leave within a 52-week period. It also establishes a combined cap of 12 weeks (14 weeks with pregnancy-related complications) for both types of leave, replacing the previous 16-week combined limit. The bill maintains a $1,000 weekly benefit maximum and adjusts benefit calculations based on average weekly wages, with minimum weekly benefits set at $100. This change, effective January 1, 2027, directly affects eligible Washington workers seeking paid leave for family or medical reasons.

Topics ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareReduces paid medical leave duration from 12 to 8 weeks, limiting access to extended healthcare-related time off for employees.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentReduces paid family leave duration from 12 to 8 weeks per type, lowering total coverage and restricting worker benefits despite maintaining benefit caps.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

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