Lawmakers have passed a labor law for the living room, using workplace rules designed for HR departments. The result is a gray zone where families, house cleaners, adult caregivers, babysitters, gardeners, handymen and nannies may think they know what they are — until the state or a court says otherwise.

Senate House Bill 2355 extends workplace protections to domestic workers performing services in private homes, starting in 2027. The law outlines requirements involving minimum wage, overtime, written agreements, anti-retaliation protections and termination notices. A worker performing domestic services for as few as four hours in a month may fall within the statute’s coverage. And if workers believe their rights under the law are violated, they can file a complaint with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries or pursue a private right of action in court. (State law already requires most workers — including many people doing household work — to be paid at least the state's minimum wage, by the way.)

Protecting domestic workers from abuse is important. Their work is valuable, and safe conditions are essential. But the policy question is whether labor law designed for formal employment relationships should apply to the many informal household arrangements that many people enter voluntarily.

Supporters argued during legislative debate that casual arrangements would not be affected. But the bill’s enforcement provisions make the issue less clear. And the...

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