EQUAL PAY

“Studies have shown that this type of policy – along with paid leave, affordable child care and a living wage – helps to decrease the wage gap. We’re proud to see Washington take the lead on championing women and families, and hope that other states will follow its example. With this action, Washington legislators have shown once again that they are committed to being true champions of women and families. Our state’s workers, businesses and economy will be stronger because of this bill.”

KXLY, March 2018

FAMILY LEAVE

“The bill, which was a compromise reached between Republicans and Democrats after weeks of negotiation, offers eligible workers 12 weeks of either leave beginning in 2020, or 16 weeks for a combination of both. An additional two weeks may be used if there is a serious health condition with a pregnancy.

The bill closes the loop on work left unfinished by the 2007 Legislature. That year, lawmakers created a paid family leave program that required many employers to offer five weeks of paid time off for new parents. But they never came up with a way to pay for the benefit, resulting in an indefinite delay of its implementation.”

Seattle Times, June 2017

REMOVING BARRIERS TO WORK: NONCOMPETES

“…non-compete agreements will be void in the state of Washington unless they meet certain standards. The contracts in question restrict employees with knowledge of sensitive business information from taking similar roles at other companies. Non-compete agreements are a lightning rod in the tech industry, with proponents claiming they protect trade secrets and critics arguing they stifle innovation.”

GeekWire, April 2019

Additional reporting: King5

PATIENT SAFETY — REST BREAKS

“The bill says hospitals must provide time in their scheduling for meal and rest breaks. There are exceptions for unforeseen or unavoidable emergencies, although if a break is interrupted for one of those conditions, the worker must be give an uninterrupted break later. The bill also has new requirements for paying overtime.

“It’s taken a long time to get here,” said Rep. Marcus Riccelli, D-Spokane, the sponsor of the bill. The House has passed a version of the bill for the past five years, only to see it die in the Senate.”

Seattle Times, April 2019