Washington State Employment Laws

The legislature in the Evergreen State has passed or upgraded a number of employment laws. The changes include the following: 

• A new “Mini-WARN” Act, covering employers with 50 or more full-time employees.  

• A significant change from the federal WARN Act is that employment reductions over a period of time must be counted in total; “phasing” layoffs does not absolve the employer from liability. Exceptions to notice requirements are generally the same as those in the federal act. 

• Employees on protected medical leave (Washington has its own law for this as well) are not to be included in layoffs, with the exception of a total plant closing. 

• Their law mandating inclusion of pay ranges and benefits in job postings has been made a bit more employer-friendly by providing a 5-day window for correction of non-compliant postings, and flat-rate pay is permitted in lieu of a range, if that is how the position is compensated. 

• Like California, employers are prohibited from specifically requiring a driver’s license for identity unless driving is a job requirement. 

• Employee requests for their personnel records must be accommodated within 21 days of the request. 

• Other employment law changes include paid sick leave expansion, protection from coercion, additional pregnancy accommodation requirements, protection for applicants with criminal records, victims of hate crimes, and more paid Family and Medical Leave.