Your Washington State Worker’s Rights

Seattle Paid Sick and Safe Time (PSST) allows Washington state workers to take paid time off when they are sick, for domestic assault-related reasons, or to care for a sick family member. You do not need to provide a doctor’s note. Workers earn one hour of sick and safe time for every 40 hours worked for a total of 6.5 days per year.

Fair Chance Employment (FCE) prohibits discrimination against workers with criminal records. You cannot be asked about your record on an initial job application, and employers must consider your job experience before your record.

Washington state labor laws include its own version of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) called Paid Family And Medical Leave (PFML). PFML is a program that pays workers while on leave. Workers can take up to 12 weeks of leave to recuperate from a major surgery, during pregnancy, to receive treatment for a chronic health condition, or to receive inpatient care for substance abuse or mental health. You can also take paid time off to care for a new child, sick family member, or a family member who is about to be deployed overseas or is returning from overseas deployment. The amount of pay you receive weekly is based on a calculator from the Employment Security Department, though not everyone qualifies. You must have been employed with your employer for at least one year and worked a minimum of 820 hours within your qualifying period.

All non-exempt hourly workers in Washington state are entitled to overtime pay at 1.5 times that of their wage for every hour worked over 40 hours in a work week. The law also includes overtime pay for agricultural workers who clock over 55 hours a week.

You deserve to be paid on time at the wage you were promised. Wage theft happens when you aren’t paid the rate you were promised, aren’t paid at least minimum wage, or aren’t compensated properly for overtime and breaks. If you are consistently finding your paycheck incorrect, you may be the victim of wage theft and have the right to hold your employer accountable.

Federal and Washington state labor laws give you the right to work free of discrimination and harassment based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity and sexual orientation), national origin, age (40 or above), disability, or genetic information.

In 2022, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed into law the Silenced No More Act (HB1795), which limits the use of workplace non-disclosure and non-disparagement agreements, commonly known as NDAs. Under the new law, employees and independent contractors throughout the state can no longer be forced to stay quiet about certain unlawful workplace mistreatment.

If your employer has an employee manual or handbook, it’s important to read through it and keep a copy of it at home. Not only do employers outline their policies and procedures in such documentation, but many will also have a process for dealing with workplace issues that are detailed within, like how to report it and to whom. Reading your employee handbook can answer a lot of questions for you and leave you better prepared if you end up needing to consult an employment attorney.

Most companies require their employees to report workplace issues to human resources as a first step. Besides hiring new employees and managing benefits, human resources representatives are trained to help resolve problems at work, from disagreements with co-workers to more serious concerns like harassment or safety violations. Their loyalty lies with the company, however, and if they aren’t taking your claim seriously, it may be time to contact an Employment and Labor Law attorney.

The EEOC lists the federal laws and regulations that employers must follow. Additionally, while most people think of L&I as the Washington workers’ compensation organization, it also oversees Washington state laws and regulations regarding workers’ rights. Reviewing both websites can further educate you on your rights and help you decide if you need to consult an Employment and Labor Law attorney.