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Washington Governor Ferguson Signs Key Employment Bills Into Law

Ogletree Deakins — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 18:14:26 +0000

Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson recently signed bills that will affect labor and employment law in areas such as reductions in force, pregnancy accommodations, noncompete agreements, traditional labor relations, and wage and hour claims.

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Washington’s Recently Amended Non-Competition Restrictions Render Past or Existing Covenants Unenforceable

Jackson Lewis — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:14:40 +0000

TakeawaysWashington will effectively ban all employment non-compete agreements as of 06.30.27, with only limited exceptions, and regardless of when they were signed. Employers must provide notices to current and former employees by 10.01.27 that covered non-competition covenants are void and unenforceable. Confidentiality, certain non-solicitation and limited education-repayment provisions remain permitted if they are narrowly drafted.Related linkHouse Bill […]

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Washington Becomes Latest State to Ban Noncompete Agreements

Ogletree Deakins — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:26:01 +0000

On March 23, 2026, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed into law a bill banning nearly all noncompete agreements for employees and independent contractors, effective June 30, 2027. The law, Substitute House Bill (SHB) 1155, declares that all “noncompetition agreements” are “void and unenforceable” after that date, and prohibits employers from

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Washington Bans Noncompetes—and Most Training Repayment Agreements With Them

Littler — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 20:22:44 +0000

Washington Bans Noncompetes—and Most Training Repayment Agreements With Them On March 23, 2026, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson signed Engrossed Substitute House Bill 1155 (ESHB 1155), implementing an extensive noncompetition prohibition in Washington State. Beginning June 30, 2027, all noncompetition covenants are void and unenforceable unless they fall under an exception

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Washington Updates Paid Family and Medical Leave Premium Split to Align with Federal Tax Guidance

Littler — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 19:38:15 +0000

Washington Updates Paid Family and Medical Leave Premium Split to Align with Federal Tax Guidance On March 11, 2025, Governor Bob Ferguson signed Second Substitute House Bill 2345 (HB 2345). The new law revises how the Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) premium requirements are allocated between employers and

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Washington Governor Ferguson Signs Mini-WARN Act Amendments Bill

Ogletree Deakins — Wed, 18 Mar 2026 17:17:22 +0000

On March 17, 2026, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson signed legislation (Engrossed Senate Bill (ESB) 6106) that amends the state’s analogue of the federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act by changing the definition of “employer” and adjusting the notice requirements to better protect the names and addresses of

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Washington State Nears Ban on Noncompete Agreements

Ogletree Deakins — Sun, 15 Mar 2026 21:06:33 +0000

Washington State is close to banning all employment-based and independent-contractor-based noncompete agreements after the state legislature passed a bill declaring that “noncompetition covenants” are “void and unenforceable” and that employers are prohibited from enforcing them. The legislation, which would take effect on June 30, 2027, awaits the governor’s signature.

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Surge in Washington Wage and Hour Trucking Cases Puts Focus on Overtime Compliance

Ogletree Deakins — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 20:14:22 +0000

Washington’s Minimum Wage Act (MWA), RCW 49.46.130, mandates overtime compensation for Washington-based employees working over forty hours per workweek, regardless of where the work is performed. Although the law has been in place since 2007, Washington has experienced a recent surge in trucking overtime lawsuits targeting both small- and large-scale

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Washington State Seeks Input on New Excavation, Trenching, and Shoring Work Plan Rules

Ogletree Deakins — Mon, 02 Feb 2026 19:42:34 +0000

Washington’s Division of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is moving to make changes to its excavation, trenching, and shoring standard, and they want to hear from employers. On February 10-12, 2026, Washington’s State Department of Labor & Industries will hold public hearings on DOSH’s proposal to amend Chapter 296-155-655 WAC,

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Washington State Employment Law in 2025: Year in Review

Ogletree Deakins — Thu, 08 Jan 2026 16:29:14 +0000

The month of January takes its name from Janus, the Roman god with two faces looking in opposite directions, symbolizing transition and conflict. For Washington State employers, there is no better representation of this year’s polarity between federal deregulation and state-level reforms, as well as increased enforcement efforts.

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2026 Washington State Minimum Wage Update

Ogletree Deakins — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 04:32:00 +0000

Effective January 1, 2026, the minimum wage rate in the State of Washington will increase to $17.13 per hour for employees sixteen years of age or older. For minor employees (fourteen or fifteen years of age), the minimum wage rate will be $14.56 per hour (or 85 percent of the

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Washington Legislative Update: SimTech

Maynard Nexsen PC — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 13:00:01 +0000

Washington Employers: Prepare for Hiring Practice Shifts as New Background Check Requirements Take Effect in 2026 + 2027

Jackson Lewis — Thu, 23 Oct 2025 14:30:27 +0000

TakeawaysThe amended Washington Fair Chance Act prohibits employers from requesting an individual’s criminal background information before a conditional offer of employment is made.All employers are covered by the new law, and the new requirements are effective beginning 07.01.26 and 01.01.27, depending on the size of the employer.Employers have time to prepare and should consider taking […]

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Washington Pay Transparency: A Timely Compliance Reminder for Employers

Jackson Lewis — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 17:13:23 +0000

TakeawaysWashington’s pay transparency statute imposes strict obligations on employers.Employers can reduce their exposure by acting proactively to ensure compliance.Related links

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Washington State Supreme Court Broadly Defines Job Applicants Covered by Pay Transparency Law

Ogletree Deakins — Sun, 07 Sep 2025 16:25:24 +0000

In a closely watched decision on September 4, 2025, the Washington State Supreme Court ruled that job applicants can sue for violations of the state’s pay transparency law without needing to prove they applied for the job in good faith or were otherwise “bona fide” applicants. In Branson v. Washington

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