Washington Joins States Expanding Into NLRB Territory With New “Trigger” Labor Law: What Employers Need to Know
Washington just became the latest state to enact a so-called “trigger” labor law, which will allow the state’s labor board to regulate private-sector labor relations if the federal framework fails. The new legislation, which takes effect June 11, is part of a growing effort by states to fill perceived gaps at the federal level – a movement that the National Labor Relations Board strongly opposes and is actively challenging in courts . We’ll explain everything employers need to know, plus what you can expect next. Overview Gov. Bob Ferguson signed a bill ( HB 2471 ) into law on March 23 that will expand the power of the state’s Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) over matters currently reserved for the NLRB under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) – if certain triggering conditions are met. HB 2471 emphasizes that protecting workers’ rights under established labor law and maintaining stable labor-management relations is a vital state interest, but the NLRB is pushing bac...