In June, MRSC published 2025 Revisions to Washington Paid Family Medical Leave, Paid Sick Leave, and More, which covered important changes to Washington leave laws. In addition, the legislature passed a number of other bills that impact personnel/employment issues applicable to local governments.
This blog will provide a brief overview of the more significant personnel-or employment-related bills from 2025. Agencies should consult with their attorneys for a more detailed review of the legislation covered and how to comply with any new requirements.
Starting January 1, 2027, SB 5217 extends pregnancy and post-partum workplace accommodation requirements to all employers, regardless of size. The current pregnancy accommodation requirements only apply to employers with 15 or more employees (see RCW 43.10.005).
The law defines what is considered a “reasonable accommodation,” including that employers must allow for more frequent, longer, or more flexible restroom breaks, modify no food/drink policies as needed, and provide paid break time and a location for an employee to express breast milk for two years after a child’s birth.
Failure to provide reasonable accommodations is considered an unfair work practice, unless the employer can demonstrate that providing the reasonable accommodation would impose an undue hardship. Under the new provisions, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I)...
Claims that Brigitte Macron is a transgender woman first emerged online in 2021 and have since gone viral. “Two billion people have been exposed to this story in French and 2.5 billion in English,...