Understanding Labor Laws and Your Workplace Rights in Washington State

Written by Staff Writer | Edited by Michael Purser

Safety training about Washington's OSHA-approved State Plan.

Federal labor laws protect workers throughout the United States, including full citizens and seasonal workers alike. Everyone is entitled to certain basic levels of protection. Some states offer additional protections through their own laws.

The regulations are quite extensive, covering everything from restroom breaks to child employment and more. This article is only a basic overview. For more detailed information, review the Washington State Workers’ Rights Manual. It’s a long read, but it covers every aspect of the state’s labor laws in depth.

Employee Rights and Workplace Safety Laws on the National and State Level

By default, every state in the U.S. is subject to federal labor laws. These include standards established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and other sub-organizations of the Department of Labor (DOL). States can add further protections to that minimum. These standards need to be at least as effective as federal standards.

Washington’s additions to federal standards are some of the most comprehensive of any state. According to Oxfam America, Washington ranks highly for wage policies and worker protections.

A Washington State Plan education course outlines the many areas where the state exceeds national standards. The additions are comprehensive, covering general industry, construction, agriculture and more.

Labor and Employment Law in WA State

The Washington Labor Code is expansive, with 37 sections currently (it’s updated periodically, so the number of sections may change). Since it’s written in dense legal language, it’s difficult for the average person to read and understand all that it contains. This guide will help you understand a few of the most common issues you might encounter on the job. But there are so many more provisions than the ones covered here.

Check out the summaries below for the basic information you need to understand your rights. The state government website for workers’ rights covers much of this information more extensively.

Wage and Hour Laws

The current minimum wage is $16.66 per hour for most WA workers, almost double the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. Some municipalities set even higher minimums, like $20.76 per hour in the city of Seattle.

Additional protections for wages exist as well, like the provision that businesses cannot use tips and service charges as part of an employee’s minimum wage. Employers may offer them as a supplement to, but not as a replacement for, the state minimum.

For example, if your employer tries to count tips as part of your base wage in Seattle, they’re violating both local and state law. This commonly misunderstood detail can result in thousands in stolen wages over the course of a year.

A few groups don’t qualify for minimum wage, like minors 14 to 15 years old (who must be paid no less than 85% of minimum wage). Laws for minors dictate wages, the maximum time to work and more. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) establishes protections for minors, among others, on a national level.

Rest Periods and Meal Breaks

Meal breaks are included for any shift that lasts for five hours or longer. Everyone gets a paid meal period for every four hours they work. Nursing mothers may request even more breaks.

No one can be required to work more than three hours without a rest break. Breaks must be scheduled as close to the middle of your work period as possible.

Employers must also provide you with “reasonable access” to restrooms and are not allowed to restrict bathroom breaks or impose unreasonable time use restrictions on using restroom facilities.

Safety and Health

OSHA takes workplace safety very seriously and expects all states to adhere strictly to safety standards. Workers have the right to work in a safe environment that won’t harm their health. Employees should have access to health and safety training to prevent workplace injuries.

Students have access to a wide range of safety training opportunities – some of which can be required depending on the job. For example, some jobs require an OSHA 10 certificate or an OSHA 30 card.

Injury

Injuries can happen at any workplace, even under ideal circumstances. If you are injured while working, you can file a workers’ compensation claim to cover your medical expenses and may get additional benefits to help while you are hurt, including wage replacement.

Most employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance to protect against accidents and liability.

No one plans to get injured on the job, but when it happens, having a clear understanding of your rights can make a huge difference in your recovery process — physically, emotionally and financially.

Paid Sick Leave

State law requires employers to accrue one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours an employee works. This is true whatever your employment status is. Even if you work part-time or are hired as a temporary or seasonal worker, you still get medical leave. You are entitled to use paid sick leave once you have reached 90 calendar days of employment.

Protected Leave

Taking time off work is protected under certain circumstances. These include being the victim of domestic violence, caring for a sick child, pregnancy, bonding with a new child and active military duty (including for a military space). Emergency service workers also enjoy protected leave status.

In these situations, individuals can take time off work and later return to the same or equivalent job duties. The law requires your employer to accommodate the need for time off in these circumstances.

Sexual Harassment and Discrimination

Everyone is entitled to a workplace free of sexual harassment and discrimination based on a protected class. If you experience harassment or discrimination, you have the option of filing a complaint with the Washington State Human Rights Commission (HRC) or the Federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), depending on the violation.

Keep in mind that state discrimination laws require that you file your complaint within six months of the date that the discrimination happened to protect your rights.

Complaints

As a worker, you always have the right to file a complaint without the threat of retaliation. It’s against the law for employers to fire you or retaliate against an individual in any way for exercising the right to file a complaint. Your boss can’t harass you, make your job harder or fire you because you notified authorities of a problem.

Workers are vital sources of information about illegal activities, such as denying overtime pay or discouraging labor unions. When businesses break Washington state employment law, individual employees are in the best position to blow the whistle. If you see a business break laws or violate rights, your right to file a complaint can protect you and your coworkers from harm.

That includes complaints about any illegal behavior or a lack of compliance with regulations like child labor, wage issues, denial of rest breaks, union suppression and even retaliation against other whistleblowers.

If you feel nervous about speaking up, you’re not alone. Many workers don’t realize they’re fully protected from retaliation until it’s too late.

Wage Loss

If you lose your ability to work due to injury, you may qualify for benefits that will help you make up for the loss of your regular source of income. The same is true if you become unable to work due to illness or other health issues.

The Washington Paid Family & Medical Leave (PFML) program also provides financial assistance if you get sick or if you need to take care of a sick family member. Paid family and medical leave provided under this program is different than the PTO offered by your employer.

Unemployment Benefits

Unemployment benefits are available if you lose your job through no fault of your own. These benefits provide a temporary source of income while you search for another job. The payout is calculated on a sliding scale based on your earnings over the last 15 months.

This program is funded through a partnership between federal and local agencies, including the Employment Security Department (ESD).

For More Information

This article is a quick overview of the many protections available for Washington workers. It is far from comprehensive.

For more detailed information, you can review the Rights Manual mentioned above. Or, if you are interested in the full legal text, you can read through the Labor Code directly. You can also compare WA rules to the national regulations available on the DOL website.

Additionally, each municipality can have its own statutes. As mentioned above, the city of Seattle has a higher minimum wage than many communities. Other jurisdictions, even within the same metro area, may implement their own minimum wage requirements.

So, if you are working in Burien, the laws that apply to you and your employer might be different than those that apply to a worker in downtown Seattle or across the state in Spokane.

Check out our Washington page for training options for state-specific safety standards. We also offer a wide variety of national and state training resources, from general education programs like OSHA 10 Outreach Training to specific topics like forklift certification and heavy equipment training.

Our courses are all available 100% online and made to fit into your busy schedule. Key benefits include:

Use any device with an internet connection, including laptops, phones and tablets
Save your progress automatically so you can start and stop when needed
Enjoy up to 90 days to complete the course
Download your Certificate of Completion instantly
Receive an official DOL card within two weeks for OSHA Outreach Training

Whether you’re new to the workforce or a seasoned employee, staying informed about your rights is essential. Our team is committed to providing accessible, reliable information that empowers you to make confident career decisions.

Discover just how easy it is to improve your skills and advance your career at your own pace with training that’s available whenever and wherever you are. Sign up and start learning today!