• In 2025, Washington State passed thirty-nine new laws impacting all aspects of employment.
• State agencies increased and expanded enforcement tools and activity in 2025.
• Heading into 2026, employers may want to review their policies and practices for compliance as well as prepare for an increase in litigation and administrative enforcement.

Washington’s 2025 legislative session had a renewed focus on labor and employment that largely expanded protections for workers. Key measures relate to recruitment and hiring leave and accommodations, layoffs, and other workplace rights.

Recruitment and Hiring

In 2026, the minimum wage and the compensation requirement for noncompete agreements will increase. In addition to changes in procedures and potential damages under the job posting law, there are other new laws affecting the recruitment and hiring process.

• Limitations on Requiring a Driver’s License: Under Substitute Senate Bill (SSB) 5501, employers may not require a driver’s license as a condition of employment, and may not include such a requirement in a job posting, unless driving is an essential job function or related to a legitimate business purpose for the position.

• New Requirements for Background Checks: Engrossed House Bill ((HB) 1747 broadens the Fair Chance Act’s requirements to cover more employers (implemented over time), prohibits employers from automatically excluding a person with a criminal record from an employment position; requires employers to make a...

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