Compliance Stuff

Washington lawmakers were busy this year, and a wave of new laws will have a major impact on the workplace. Employers must be aware of significant workplace laws taking effect within the next year, including 11 new laws that kicked in this month. Nearly all add more compliance requirements to your plate, and the changes even ramp up the penalties for failures to comply. Here’s a quick guide to help you keep track of it all and prepare for the changes. 11 New Washington Workplace Laws Taking Effect in July 2025 Effective July 1, 2025 Major Expansion of the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act ( HB 1905 - 2024 ).  Washington’s pay transparency law adds age, sex, marital status, sexual orientation, race, creed, color, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, and honorably discharged veteran or military status. It also includes the presence of sensory, mental, or physical disability or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability to the gen...

  Washington employers will soon get some relief from the state’s strict job posting requirements after lawmakers unanimously passed a law to mitigate some of the more onerous parts of the key state statute. Starting July 27, state law will provide a grace period to correct violations , limit the amount of damages that applicants and workers can receive if violations are found, and offer additional flexibility to comply with the law. What do you need to know about the new law signed into effect today, and what seven things should Washington employers do as a result of this fortunate development? 2023 Job Posting Rules Carry Steep Risk Since January 1, 2023, Washington’s Equal Pay and Opportunity Act (EPOA) has required that employers ensure their job postings include the “wage scale or salary range and general description of benefits and other compensation” to promote pay transparency as one way to combat pay inequity. These rules – and their consequences – are arguably the stric...

On April 22, 2025, the Washington State Senate passed  Substitute Senate Bill 5408 , as  amended by the House  on April 15, 2025 (“Amended SSB 5408”), making substantial changes to the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act related to pay and benefit information in job postings, a law that has resulted in hundreds of class action lawsuits since summer 2023. Amended SSB 5408  makes significant changes to the law as it relates to procedures and potential damages, but it maintains the pay transparency in job posting requirements. Quick Hits Under SSB 55408, which amends the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act, Washington employers may now list a fixed pay amount instead of a wage range if only one amount is offered, including for internal transfers; postings that are replicated without employer consent are not considered official job postings. Between the l aw’s effective date and July 27, 2027, employers have five business days to correct a noncompliant postin g after receiving w...