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Wage and Hour Laws

Minimum Wage

The 2026 state minimum wage in Washington is $17.13 per hour.

The state minimum wage applies to most employers and employees with some exceptions, including workers aged 14 to 15 (who must be paid no less than 85% of the adult minimum wage) and certain agricultural employees. The Minimum Wage Act also lists various exemptions, including:

  • Executive, administrative, and professional workers.
  • Volunteers.
  • Workers required to live or sleep at their workplaces.

If approved, employers can pay a subminimum wage to the following workers:

  • Apprentices.
  • On-the-job learners.
  • Student workers and student learners.

Washington has been phasing out subminimum wage certificates for workers with disabilities since 2023. From August 1, 2026, these certificates will become completely unenforceable, and the state minimum will apply to workers with disabilities.

The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) adjusts the state minimum wage annually to reflect cost-of-living increases. New minimum wages are announced on September 30 each year.

Covered employers in some parts of Washington state must pay employees a higher minimum wage:

  • Bellingham: $19.13/hour.
  • Burien:
    • $20.63/hour for businesses with 21 to 499 workers.
    • $21.63/hour for businesses with 500 or more workers.
    • No coverage for businesses with 20 or fewer employees.
  • Everett:
    • $18.77/hour for businesses with 15 to 499 employees ($19.77/hour from July 1, 2026).
    • $20.77/hour for businesses with 500+ employees.
    • No coverage for businesses with 14 or fewer employees.
  • King County (unincorporated areas):
    • $19.82/hour for businesses with 15 or fewer employees and gross revenue of $2 million or more ($18.32/hour if gross less than $2 million).
    • $19.82/hour for businesses with between 16 and 499 employees (regardless of revenue).
    • $20.82/hour for businesses with more than 500 employees.
  • Renton:
    • $20.57/hour for businesses with 15 to 500 employees ($21.57/hour from July 1, 2026).
    • $21.57/hour for businesses with more than 500 employees.
    • No coverage for businesses with 14 or fewer employees.
  • SeaTac: $20.74/hour for hospitality and transport industry employees.
  • Seattle: $21.30/hour.
  • Tukwila: $21.65/hour for employers of at least 15 employees worldwide, if 1 or more employees work in Tukwila (even temporarily), or the employer has over $2 million annual gross revenue generated in Tukwila, or is a franchisee of a franchise that employs more than 500 employees in aggregate worldwide.

Transport Network Company (TNC) drivers like Uber and Lyft also have separate minimum pay requirements.

Tipped Minimum Wage

There’s no tipped minimum wage in Washington. Employers can’t count tips toward the minimum wage when paying employees.

Employers must give employees all tips they receive.

Tip pooling is allowed in Washington as long as only employees covered by the Minimum Wage Act are included. This means exempt managers, supervisors, and business owners can’t be part of a tip pool.

Overtime Laws

Washington employers can require employees to work mandatory overtime. An employee who works more than 40 hours across a 7-day work period must be paid 1.5 times their regular hourly rate.

These overtime provisions don’t apply to some employees, including:

  • Those exempt from the Minimum Wage Act. From January 1, 2026, employees must earn at least $80,168.40/year (2.25 times the state minimum wage) to be considered exempt from overtime.
  • Seamen.
  • Seasonal employees at agricultural fairs who work less than 14 days per year.
  • Some employees of covered healthcare facilities.

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Meal Breaks

Employees who work more than 5 consecutive hours must be given a minimum 30-minute meal break during their work time. It must be taken after an employee has worked at least 2 hours, but no later than 5 hours into their shift. These breaks are unpaid if the employee is relieved of all work duties and isn’t on call.

When an employee works 3 or more hours overtime, they must take a 30-minute meal break prior to or during their overtime hours.

Rest Breaks

Employers must give each employee a paid rest break for every 4 hours worked. This break must be at least 10 minutes.

Employees should take their break as close as possible to halfway through their shift and no later than after 3 consecutive hours.

These breaks count towards calculating paid sick leave and overtime entitlements.

Recordkeeping

Employers must keep employment, payroll, and timesheet records for each employee, including their:

  • Name.
  • Address.
  • Role.
  • Pay rate.
  • Wages for each pay period.
  • Daily and weekly hours worked.

These records must be kept for at least 4 years (the current year plus 3 prior calendar years).

Employees and former employees have the right to inspect their own personnel files on written request. Within 21 days of receiving a request to see their personnel file, employers must provide a copy at no cost to the employee. Employees can petition for employers to review information, and correct or remove it if it’s irrelevant or erroneous.

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Employee Scheduling Laws

There are no state-wide scheduling laws in Washington. However, Seattle has one.

Seattle’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance applies to retail and food service employers with 500+ workers worldwide and full-service restaurants with 40+ full-service locations worldwide. It requires employers to:

  • Provide employees with good-faith estimates of their hours.
  • Post work schedules with at least 14 days’ notice.
  • Offer extra hours to current employees before hiring new ones.

The Secure Scheduling Ordinance also requires employers to pay specific penalty rates, including:

  • 1.5 times an employee’s regular rate for any hours they work that are less than 10 hours apart from the end of a shift they worked on the previous calendar day (employees can work these “clopening” shifts only if they agree).
  • An extra hour of pay for changes to hours, shift dates, or times.
  • Payment for half the hours an employee doesn’t work when they’re sent home early.
  • Compensation for half of an employee’s scheduled hours when that employee is on-call but not called in.

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Employee Compensation and Benefits

Reporting Time Pay

Washington state doesn’t have any reporting time pay laws. This means employers aren’t required to pay workers who report to work if there’s no work for them to do. Employers must simply pay employees for any time worked.

Seattle’s Secure Scheduling Ordinance includes a reporting time requirement.

Payday Frequency and Method

Employees must be paid at least monthly on a regular, scheduled payday. Employers can pay workers by cash, check, direct deposit, or a prepaid payroll card if there’s no cost to employees.

Paystub Requirements

Employers must provide employees with pay statements detailing the hours/days they worked, pay rates, gross wages, commissions and bonuses, overtime pay, and any deductions on each payday.

Once a month, employers must also give employees a statement of their accrued and used paid sick leave. This information can be included in employees’ paystubs.

Wage Deductions and Garnishments

Deductions

Employers can make deductions from employees’ wages for various lawful reasons, including employee-authorized deductions. Deductions may also reduce wages below the minimum wage when required by law, for medical care, and to satisfy a court order.

Garnishments

Wage garnishments are generally limited to the lesser of:

  • 25% of an employee’s weekly disposable earnings, or
  • An employee’s weekly disposable earnings minus 35 times the federal minimum wage (currently $7.25/hour).

Other limits apply for different types of garnishments. For example:

  • Spousal support garnishments: 50% of an employee’s disposable earnings.
  • Private student loan garnishments: 85% of an employee’s weekly disposable earnings or an employee’s weekly disposable earnings minus 50 times the highest minimum wage in the state at the time (whichever is greater).
  • Consumer debt garnishments: 80% of an employee’s weekly disposable earnings or an employee’s weekly disposable earnings minus an amount that’s 35 times the state minimum hourly wage (whichever is greater).

Different limits apply to garnishments for federal student loans and federal taxes.

Employers can’t discharge an employee based on a wage garnishment unless the employer receives 3 or more separate wage garnishment orders in 12 consecutive months.

Final Paycheck Laws

An employer must give an employee their final paycheck by the end of the pay period (with some exceptions).

Final paychecks can’t include any deductions unless the deduction is required by law, for medical care, to satisfy a court order, or by the employee’s signed consent.

Withholding final paychecks can result in an employer being ordered to pay the wages due and being charged with a misdemeanor.

Workers’ Compensation

Washington requires all businesses that hire employees to take out no-fault workers’ compensation insurance (also called industrial insurance), with some limited exceptions. This insurance provides financial compensation to employees in the event of a workplace injury or illness.

Employers can obtain workers’ compensation insurance either through L&I or by opting to self-insure.

Workers’ compensation comes out of the Washington State Fund, which is paid for by premiums from employers and employees (collected by employers through payroll deductions).

Workers’ compensation insurance premiums vary depending on workers’ hours and the nature of their work. Employers must file quarterly reports with L&I to calculate their premiums.

Washington’s workers’ compensation scheme covers expenses such as:

  • Medical costs.
  • Rehabilitation.
  • Temporary partial wage replacement.
  • Permanent partial disability.
  • Pensions (where an employee can no longer work).
  • Survivor benefits in the event of the death of a worker.

To access workers’ compensation, employees must:

  • Report their injury or illness to their employer as soon as possible.
  • File a Report of Accident form with L&I within 12 months of the injury or 2 years from receiving a written diagnosis of an occupational disease or illness.

Employers must:

  • Ensure employees seek the necessary medical treatment.
  • Report deaths and hospitalizations within 8 hours, and amputations or loss of an eye within 24 hours.
  • Complete a Report of Accident form when requested by L&I.

An employee or employer who disagrees with a workers’ compensation decision by L&I can file a written protest within 60 days of the decision (or within 15 days for decisions relating to vocational benefits). They can also appeal to the Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals (BIIA).

Unemployment Insurance

Washington employers must pay unemployment taxes on employee wages to help fund the state’s unemployment insurance (UI) program. The UI program pays benefits to eligible employees when they are out of work.

To be eligible, workers must usually:

  • Be unemployed through no fault of their own.
  • Be available to work.
  • Have worked in Washington for the last 18 months.
  • Have worked at least 680 hours in their base year (the first 4 of the previous 5 calendar quarters).

The amount of unemployment benefits a worker receives depends on their previous earnings. Benefit amounts are currently capped at $1,152 per week.

Benefits are capped at 26 weeks or a third of a worker’s total gross wages in the 4 quarters of their base year.

From January 1, 2026, employees may be able to access UI benefits during a strike or lockout. Waiting periods apply, and benefits are capped at 6 weeks for striking workers.

Employees must pay back benefits if they later receive wages for any time they received benefits, or if their strike is prohibited by law.

A worker who disagrees with an unemployment benefits decision can appeal it within 30 days of the date the decision was sent. Workers can appeal online or in writing. Appeals are heard by the Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH). Workers can appeal OAH decisions by filing a Petition for Review with the Employment Security Department (ESD) Commissioner.

Workplace Rights and Protections

Discrimination and Harassment

The Washington State Law Against Discrimination prohibits employers with 8 or more employees from discriminating against applicants or employees based on:

  • Race, including hair texture or protective hairstyles.
  • Creed.
  • Color.
  • National origin.
  • Citizenship or immigration status.
  • Sex.
  • Veteran or military status.
  • Sexual orientation.
  • Disability.
  • Age (over 40).
  • Marital status.
  • Use of a guide dog or service animal.

An employee who believes they’ve been discriminated against based on 1 or more characteristics can file a complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission (WSHRC) or the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

Filing a complaint with one agency automatically registers it with the other. However, a complaint may be required to be filed with WSHRC if:

  • It’s against an employer with 8-15 employees (federal discrimination law generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees).
  • It relates to a protected characteristic covered only by state law.

WSHRC complaints generally must be filed within 6 months of the final date of the alleged discrimination.

Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunities Act (EPOA) prohibits pay and career advancement discrimination on the basis of gender or any protected class.

The law also prohibits exploiting workers’ immigration status to violate wage and hour, work conditions, and agricultural labor requirements.

State law also prohibits employers from discriminating against employees on the basis of off-duty, off-premises cannabis use in hiring decisions only (some exceptions apply).

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Leave Laws

✅ Family and Medical LeaveWashington’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program provides job-protected Paid Leave for circumstances including:
  • Recovery from their own serious health condition.
  • Bonding with a new child.
  • Caring for a family member with a serious health condition.
  • For issues related to a family member’s military deployment.


It applies to employers regardless of size, with few exceptions.
Employers must:
  • Ensure payment of employer and employee premiums to fund the program (these have increased as of 1 Jan 2026).
  • Display a poster informing workers of their PFML rights.


Employers with fewer than 50 employees in Washington are exempt from paying both medical and family portions of premiums, but must still withhold and remit the employee’s share.

Following the signing of House Bill 2345, from 2027, medical leave premiums will be reclassified as fully employee-funded on paper. The employer’s share will be shifted to the family leave portion. The total amounts employers and employees pay remain unchanged.

When employees work 820 hours during their qualifying period, they can take:
  • Up to 12 weeks of medical or family leave.
  • Up to 16 weeks of combined medical and family leave (up to 18 weeks if a pregnancy-related disability).


From 1 January 2026, employees are eligible for PFML if they miss 4 consecutive hours of work in a week (reduced from 8 hours). PFML must be job-protected for employers with 25+ employees. In addition, employees qualify for job protection after 180 days. The old 12-month/1,250-hour requirement no longer applies.

If employees don’t return to work when PFML ends, they may lose their right to job protection.

Employers may:
✅ Paid Sick LeaveAny employee subject to Washington’s Minimum Wage Act is entitled to sick leave. Under it, employees must accrue at least 1 hour of leave for every 40 hours worked at their regular rate of pay.

Employees can access this leave 90 calendar days after they start working for an employer, for:
  • Their own illness, injury, diagnosis, or preventative care.
  • A family member’s illness, injury, diagnosis, or preventative care.
  • The closure of their workplace or their child’s school due to a public health order or emergency.
  • Domestic violence reasons.
  • Preparing or participating in an immigration proceeding for themselves or a family member.
  • Any other reason allowed by the employer.


For paid sick leave purposes, a family member includes a child, parent, spouse, registered domestic partner, grandparent, grandchild, sibling, people employees reside with, and people they care for.

Employers must allow employees to carry accrued sick leave balances into the next year (capped at 40 hours).

Sick leave entitlements also apply to rideshare drivers.
✅ Paid Family LeaveThe Washington Family Care Act (FCA) allows employees to choose to use other paid leave (including sick leave, paid time off, vacation leave, and personal time) to care for:
  • A child with a health condition who requires treatment or supervision.
  • Another family member with a serious or emergency health condition.
  • The employee’s wife or daughter who is disabled because of pregnancy or childbirth.


Family members who qualify for FCA leave are children under 18 (or adult children incapable of self-care), parents, spouses, registered domestic partners, parents-in-law, and grandparents.

Employers can’t discriminate against employees for using this leave.
❌ Pregnancy and Parental LeaveThere isn’t a standalone pregnancy or parental leave law in Washington. However, employees may be entitled to access other types of leave for this purpose, including:
  • Paid Family and Medical Leave.
  • The federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA).
  • The Washington Family Care Act.
  • Paid sick leave.


Washington requires employers to provide pregnancy disability leave under its Law Against Discrimination. This applies to businesses with 8 or more employees.

Where an employer offers parental leave, it must provide the same entitlements to biological, adoptive, and stepparents, and both men and women.
❌ Vacation and Personal LeaveWashington employers aren’t required to provide employees with vacation or personal leave.

Military, Jury Duty, and Other Mandatory Leave

There are several other types of mandatory leave in Washington.

Military LeaveEmployers must re-employ returned service member employees, either in their previous positions or other similar positions (with some limited exceptions).

Spouses of military service members can take up to 15 days of unpaid leave during the lead-up to their partner’s deployment and when their partner is back on leave. This applies when employees work 20 or more hours per week.
Jury Duty LeaveEmployees are entitled to unpaid leave to attend jury duty. The law prohibits employers from retaliating against employees for taking this leave.
Immigration Proceedings LeaveSince July 27, 2025, employees can use accrued paid sick leave to participate in and prepare for their own judicial or administrative immigration proceedings, or those of a family member.
Domestic Violence LeaveEmployees who are victims of domestic violence, stalking, or sexual assault-and certain family members of victims-can take reasonable periods of time off for reasons including:
  • Seeking legal assistance.
  • Attending court proceedings.
  • Relocating.
  • Seeking medical treatment.
  • Obtaining counseling or other support.


From January 1, 2026, the act expanded its protections to include hate crimes as a reason for leave.

They can use accrued paid time off, sick leave, or unpaid leave.

Victims of domestic violence and their family members can also ask their employers to make reasonable accommodations, such as transferring locations or changing phone numbers. Employers must make these accommodations unless doing so would cause undue hardship.

Employers can ask for documents to support domestic violence leave requests.
Emergency LeaveEmployees who are volunteer firefighters, reserve officers, or members of the Civil Air Patrol can take time off in relation to emergency operations.

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Child Labor Laws

Children must be at least 14 years old to work in Washington, with some exceptions, including:

  • 12 and 13-year-olds in specific agricultural jobs, such as hand-harvesting spinach and berries.
  • Children working on family farms.
  • Some certified soccer referees.
  • Theatrical jobs.

For other jobs, employers can hire a child under 14 if they:

Minor employees are entitled to paid breaks:

  • For minors under 16: a 10-minute rest break for every 2 work hours and a 30-minute meal break for every 4 hours worked. They cannot work more than 2 hours without a rest or a meal break.
  • For minors aged 16 to 17: an uninterrupted 30-minute meal break if they work more than 5 hours in a day, and a 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked (must be provided no later than 3 hours into a shift).

Work Hour Restrictions for Non-Agricultural Jobs

14 and 15-year-olds16 and 17-year-olds
School weekCan’t work during school hours.

Can otherwise work up to:
  • 3 hours a day (8 hours on Saturdays and Sundays)
  • 16 hours a week
  • 6 days a week

Can work between 7am and 7pm.
Can’t work during school hours.

Can otherwise work up to:
  • 4 hours a day (8 hours Friday to Sunday)
  • 20 hours a week
  • 6 days a week


Can work between 7am and 10pm (or between 7am and midnight on Friday, Saturday, and the day before a school holiday).

From July 1 2026, 16 and 17 year olds enrolled in approved career and technical education (CTE) programs may work up to the non-school week limits during the school year.

Employers can also agree on special variances with minor workers’ parents and schools. Where agreed, these allow the minor to work up to:
  • 6 hours a day (8 hours Friday to Sunday)
  • 28 hours a week
  • 6 days a week
Non-school weekCan work up to:
  • 8 hours a day
  • 40 hours a week
  • 6 days a week


Can work between 7am and 7pm (this extends to 9pm from June 1 to Labor Day)
Can work up to:
  • 8 hours a day
  • 48 hours a week
  • 6 days a week


Can work between 5am and midnight.

Work Hour Restrictions for Agricultural Jobs

12 and 13-year-olds (hand-harvesting berries, cucumbers, bulbs, and spinach)14 and 15-year-olds16 and 17-year-olds
School weekCan’t workCan’t work during school hours.

Can otherwise work up to:
  • 3 hours a day (8 hours on each non-school day)
  • 21 hours a week
  • 6 days a week*


Can work between 7am and 8pm (6am for animal agriculture and irrigation workers).
Can’t work during school hours.

Can otherwise work up to:
  • 4 hours a day (8 hours on each non-school day)
  • 28 hours a week
  • 6 days a week*


Can work between 5am and 10pm (can’t work after 9pm for more than 2 nights in a row before a school day).
Non-school weekCan work up to:
  • 8 hours a day
  • 40 hours a week
  • 6 days a week


Can work between 5am and 9pm.
Can work up to:
  • 8 hours a day
  • 40 hours a week
  • 6 days a week*


Can work between 5am and 9pm.
Can work up to:
  • 10 hours a day
  • 50 hours a week (60 hours for mechanical harvest of peas, wheat, and hay)
  • 6 days a week*


Can work between 5am and 10pm.
* Minors in the dairy, livestock, irrigation, and hay harvesting industries can work 7 days a week.

Limits on Types of Work

All minors under 18 are prohibited from working in various agricultural and nonagricultural jobs and duties, including:

  • Demolition.
  • Roofing.
  • Meatpacking.
  • Logging.
  • Working more than 10 feet from ground level.
  • Meat slicing operations.
  • Service occupations where they’re required to work alone past 8pm without an adult on the premises.

There are further restrictions on children under 16. For example, they’re prohibited from working in various jobs and duties, including:

  • Driving a car.
  • Doing door-to-door sales.
  • Using power-driven machinery.
  • Using ladders and scaffolds.

A complete list of prohibited occupations for minors can be found on L&I’s website.

Penalties

From July 1, 2026, minimum penalties for the most serious youth labor law violations start at $71,000. Civil penalties for failing to obtain minor work permits start at $100 and go to $1,000 per instance.

Did You Know?

Curious about the minimum working age across the U.S.? Explore our comprehensive guide to ensure compliance and stay informed about youth employment regulations.

Check it out here: Minimum Working Age by State

Workplace Safety and Health

Washington runs its own safety and health program rather than relying on the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).

L&I’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) administers the Washington Industrial Safety and Health Act (WISHA). To do this, DOSH provides resources, support, and training to employers. It also conducts workplace inspections and imposes penalties for WISHA violations.

WISHA applies to most Washington employers. It sets out core rules all covered employers must follow, as well as rules that apply to specific industries. Employers’ duties under WISHA include:

  • Providing employees with a safe and healthy workplace.
  • Preparing and implementing a written workplace safety and health program.
  • Displaying the required WISHA poster in the workplace.
  • Maintaining records of any work-related injury and illness as required.
  • Providing appropriate safety and health training to employees.
  • Reporting a death or in-patient hospitalization to L&I within 8 hours of the event.
  • Reporting an amputation or loss of an eye to L&I within 24 hours of the event.

Workers must follow WISHA’s rules, including to:

  • Comply with any workplace safety and health rules.
  • Wear personal protective equipment provided by their employer.
  • Immediately report job-related injuries or illnesses.
  • Report any potential workplace hazards.

Under WISHA, employees have rights, including the right to raise workplace safety and health concerns, refuse to perform risky tasks (if certain criteria are met), and engage with workplace DOSH inspections. Employers can’t retaliate against employees who exercise their WISHA rights.

From January 1, 2026, healthcare employers must follow additional rules to prevent, investigate, and report workplace violence.

Labor Union Regulations

Washington doesn’t have right-to-work laws. This means an employee can be required to join a union or pay union fees as a condition of employment.

Washington employees have the right to form a union.

The National Labor Relations Act applies to most private workers in Washington, with some exceptions. The National Labor Relations Board hears labor disputes involving these employees.

Employment Contracts and Severance

Employment Contract Laws

Employment in Washington is at-will unless an employment contract or collective bargaining agreement states otherwise. This means employers and employees can terminate their employment at any time and for any reason, as long as it’s not unlawful.

Employers can’t require employees to sign non-disclosure agreements or waivers that prevent employees from disclosing or discussing their wages with other employees (or from doing so at any other time).

Non-compete agreements must meet specific criteria to be enforceable in Washington. Employees must meet salary thresholds, which are adjusted each year for inflation. The 2026 threshold is $126,858.83 annually for employees and $317,147.09 annually for independent contractors.

Non-competes longer than 18 months are generally unenforceable. Non-solicitation agreements can apply only to the current customers of a business.

Note: Bill ESHB 1155, which was signed on March 23, 2026, prohibits all non-competes, including those in effect, from June 30, 2027, onwards.

Severance Pay

Severance pay isn’t required in Washington. Employers may offer it under the terms of an employment contract or collective bargaining agreement.

Additional Laws That Might Apply to You

Panic button lawFrom January 1, 2026, Washington employers must provide panic devices for each isolated worker in hotels, motels, retail establishments, security services, and property service contracting.

Workers are deemed “isolated” under this law if they work alone for more than 50% of their workday, or work in an area where an immediate response in an emergency from at least 2 coworkers or supervisors is unlikely.
Mini-WARNWashington’s Mini-WARN Act covers employers of 50+ full-time employees (against the federal WARN’s 100+).

Covered employers must notify affected employees and the ESD in writing 60 days in advance of any closure or mass layoff of 50+ full-time workers, or temporary layoff exceeding 6 months.

Employers can only lawfully include employees on PFML in mass layoffs in limited circumstances.
Lactation accommodationsEmployers with 15 or more employees must make reasonable accommodations for workers who need to express milk. Accommodations include breaks and a private location other than a bathroom. The only exception is where the accommodation would cause undue hardship to the employer.

Bill 5217, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, will require employers to pay for lactation breaks. The requirement will extend to all employers regardless of size.
Wage historyEmployers can’t ask candidates or other employers for their wage histories unless the employees voluntarily provide this information or the employers have already made job offers that include compensation.
Job posting lawsIt’s unlawful to require a driver’s license for a position unless driving is essential to the role, or there’s a legitimate business requirement for it.

Under the transparency law, employers with 15+ employees must include salary ranges or wage scales in job advertisements, and disclose the wages of positions with fixed wages.

Penalties under this pay transparency law are between $100 and $5,000 per violation, and employers may be liable for additional fees and costs.

Until July 27, 2027, employers have a 5-day cure period to correct noncompliant job postings after receiving notice of the violation.
Fair Chance ActFrom July 1, 2026, employers with 15+ employees can’t ask about applicants’ criminal history until after making a conditional offer of employment. This will extend to all employers from January 1, 2027.

Rejecting an applicant for not disclosing their criminal history before giving a conditional offer is also prohibited. (Exceptions for certain roles and duties.)

It’s illegal to advertise a role in a way that prevents people with criminal histories from applying. Employers mustn’t take adverse action based on juvenile records or adult arrests without a conviction. Adverse action based on criminal history is only lawful when it has a legitimate business reason.
Captive audience meetingsEmployers can’t make employees attend meetings to communicate the employer’s religious or political opinions, including opinions regarding labor associations. There are some limited exceptions, such as religious corporations.

Some state COVID-19-related regulations remain in place in 2026.

The Washington Department of Labor and Industries website is a good place to start when navigating the state’s labor laws. This site has extensive information for both employers and workers.

The state government’s Small Business Guide includes labor law guidance for employers.

Workers seeking free employment law information can refer to:

You should also seek advice from an employment attorney. They can give you the most up-to-date information that applies to your unique circumstances.

Disclaimer

The information presented on this website about labor laws in Washington is a summary for informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Laws and regulations regularly change and may vary depending on individual circumstances. While we have made every effort to ensure the information provided is up to date and reliable, we cannot guarantee its completeness, accuracy, or applicability to your specific situation. Therefore, we strongly recommend that readers seek guidance from their legal departments or qualified attorneys to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Please note that we cannot be held liable for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented on this website.