Building a Better Workplace: Washington State Adds Worker Protection Laws

Washington State Gov. Jay Inslee recently signed several workplace protection bills, including the Employee Free Choice Act (SB 5778), making Washington the sixth state to bar employers from disciplining or terminating employees who decline to attend "captive audience" meetings, often used to undermine union activities. Another notable bill (HB 1905) expands pay equity investigations by allowing the Department of Labor & Industries to probe discrimination claims based on age, race, disability, and other protected classes, previously limited to gender-based claims. Inslee also approved SB 5793, which enhances the state's paid sick leave law, broadening its scope to include caring for non-traditional family members such as roommates and close relationships and enabling paid sick leave if a child’s school or daycare is closed due to emergency declarations made by local, state, or federal government.

​Additionally, SHB 2061 was signed, prohibiting mandatory overtime for healthcare workers.