issue area reports | labor and employment law
Rep. Mary Fosse, D-Everett, is deputy majority floor leader and vice chair of the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee.
SB 5062 / HB 1128 child care workforce board
Failed / AWB Opposed sponsors: Sen. Derek Stanford, D-Bothell; Rep. Mary Fosse, D-Everett
SB 5602 / HB 1128 would have established a child care workforce standards board. The board would have been comprised of child care workers, unions, employers, parents, and state agencies. The board would have been responsible for setting minimum employment standards, including minimum wage rates for child care workers. Workforce standards boards in other states have been a gateway to functionally unionizing other so-called“ fractured industries” where there are a large number of small business employers in the industry, including fast food and home healthcare.
SB 5578 / HB 1764 minimum wage and paid vacation leave
Failed / AWB Opposed sponsors: Sen. Rebecca Saldaña, D-Seattle; Rep. Sharlett Mena, D-Tacoma
One of the blockbuster bills of this session, this bill would have increased the state’ s minimum wage to $ 25 per hour, and mandated employees receive 2.3 hours of paid vacation leave for every 40 hours worked. For a full-time employee, this equates to roughly 3 weeks of paid vacation leave annually. AWB strongly opposed this bill, but we do expect this issue will return in 2026 – potentially as legislation, an initiative, or both.
HB 1213 paid family medical leave expansion
Passed / AWB Opposed sponsor: Rep. Liz Berry, D-Seattle
HB 1213 expands Washington’ s Paid Family and Medical Leave( PFML) program, including changes that will have a substantial impact on small businesses. The bill extends job protection after 180 days, and lowers the threshold of employer size for the job protection requirement. Current law requires an employer to hold an employee’ s job while on leave if that employer has 50 + employees. Beginning in 2026, that threshold will lower
Bill considered as part of AWB’ s voting record
Favorable outcome for Washington businesses
Missed Opportunities
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