[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6325498,"mediaKeyId","2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49","parentId",2333134,"title","Committee reports four labor bills out of committee with due‑pass recommendations","audioSeconds",638,"startMs",980095,"endMs",1619010,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49&start=980&end=1619","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49/thumbnail_980095.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6325498/Washington/Committee-reports-four-labor-bills-out-of-committee-with-duepass-recommendations","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325498-94fdb87d35a75413156b80d791d775b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139919&Signature=c4GKYd31GH5yqZEF25puMwvJhbaWX54iEAZBgAkDTHf1I1BIeQvkLlF3fNbPFIIRr9dJhp-hmA6P4P2AcCjHcPzgkG2mksth~zVDlw0HO4aVJqQXG7gSgk-lEchEUsCTsZ5rnIW8m1baJQQyP1yT~wM405pD7GckF5oEW8-J90rqpUEU9rNnhlMyjK8J5RrAIEq8lmdEBP1DWeviltJR0EdriYZTOxIqSI5sRuFUy3fuIa~F49LAPBYWw6WdWDgbW8MpGVjyHKTW164Y-2LIwTEVj4mCmtP-wx83ZLDMwlqiRnF-IpMzro1z4HH6LaahHVTa-P4V3BjhIu54AyfrmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","House Labor & Workplace Standards","date","2025-02-18T00:00:00Z","article","During an executive session on Feb. 18, 2025 the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee reported four bills out of committee with due‑pass recommendations. Committee staff called roll and recorded final tallies for each bill.

House Bill 16 22 — collective bargaining over AI in public sector
A motion was made and seconded to report House Bill 16 22 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill requires certain public employers to negotiate with organized employees before implementing or modifying artificial intelligence technology that affects wages, hours or other terms and conditions of employment. The committee recorded the following roll call votes: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — nay without recommendation; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 7 ayes, 2 nays. By the vote, House Bill 16 22 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

Proposed substitute to House Bill 16 82 — unemployment insurance part‑time definition
Vice Chair Representative Scott moved the proposed substitute to House Bill 16 82 and the substitute was considered for final passage. The proposed substitute modified the definition of part‑time worker to mean an individual who worked, on average, less than 35 hours per week during their base year and adjusted availability requirements; it also narrowed eligible circumstances for full‑time workers who become unable to work full time. Representative Ortiz Self spoke in favor of the substitute. Roll call votes were: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — no, do not pass; Representative Ybarra — nay, do not pass; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 6 ayes, 3 nays. By the vote, the substitute to House Bill 16 82 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

House Bill 18 43 — remove UI disqualifier for students
A motion was made and seconded to report House Bill 18 43 out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation. The bill repeals the provision that disqualified otherwise eligible workers from unemployment insurance benefits solely because they were registered in school for 12 or more instructional hours per week. Roll call votes were: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — aye; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — nay without recommendation; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced the result as 8 ayes, 1 nay. By the vote, House Bill 18 43 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

House Bill 18 79 — hospital meal and rest period waiver (amended)
Vice Chair Representative Scott moved the substitute for House Bill 18 79 after adoption of Amendment Leon 9 1 8. Representative McIntyre moved the Leon 9 1 8 amendment, which the committee adopted. The amendment clarified that if second or third meal periods in a long work shift are waived, at least one meal period must actually be provided and taken during the shift, and it tightened the timing requirement for a waived meal period. The committee then voted on the amended substitute. The votes recorded were unanimous in favor: Representative Berry — aye; Representative Fossey — aye; Representative Scott — aye; Representative Schmidt — aye; Representative Ybarra — aye; Representative Bernofsky — aye; Representative McIntyre — aye; Representative Opress — aye; Representative Ortiz Self — aye. Staff announced 9 ayes, 0 nays. By the vote, substituted House Bill 18 79 was reported out of committee with a due‑pass recommendation.

Committee comments and context
Committee members who supported bills cited worker protections, flexibility for healthcare employers and the need to allow bargaining over AI tools in the public sector. Members voting against or “nay without recommendation” cited concerns about fiscal impacts (for UI changes), the need for additional stakeholder work on amendments and the absence of a fiscal note at the time of the vote. These concerns were recorded in members’ statements during roll calls.

All four bills were reported to the next legislative step with due‑pass recommendations, per the roll calls recorded in the committee’s Feb. 18, 2025 executive session.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Labor & Workplace Standards - 2/18/2025 10:30 AM","oneSentenceSummary","During executive session on Feb. 18, 2025 the Labor & Workplace Standards Committee reported four bills out of committee with due‑pass recommendations — covering public‑sector bargaining over AI, unemployment insurance eligibility, student UI disqualification repeal, and hospital meal/rest period waivers.","taxTitle","Labor & Workplace Standards, House of Representatives, Legislative Sessions, Washington","taxId",20266,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325504,"Domestic Workers Bill of Rights draws testimony calling for statewide protections",3915,384605,4299710,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49&start=384&end=4299","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49/thumbnail_384605.jpg","/articles/6325504/Washington/Domestic-Workers-Bill-of-Rights-draws-testimony-calling-for-statewide-protections","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325504-e6c92e629e1a6fb7d70d5243fc8dc6f3/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139919&Signature=WUDaeYmgOgzSZtBIzJYkztRLdf9DzvabMp5uJhgsk9Wi4X6ylU2-iXAxlb-ih9ldJYULChASbfDOo3smOXdfvvlMpXFkEhM~IosHr9y6pCvhjSUn1Oxm1Mjs-Vklc6sq9aW--DXSggHvyJIE1dKY2IoJO3nde8MsobWW7KKhWOqSNNfLHxHijmRFskpsniVWgV6uLfNtpfckS-sR8TdE~WK5KEXZxRjY11Ne0Wlsrsy7bh-63BY3HV67-F6Xwm2RM20J3Oo5NqYr5~5V5y4oG-p3PlNXO27iDX-Ln9SZQAHPTsbgnDA3K-IHfqTZ5THtwXMrAUANtIpUTBuvj5KlGA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 heard House Bill 15 61, a proposed substitute described in staff briefing as applying minimum standards and enforceable rights to domestic workers and their hiring entities across Washington State.

Kelly Leonard, staff to the committee, summarized the proposed substitute. The substitute would define “domestic worker” to include nannies, house cleaners, home care workers, cooks, gardeners and household managers, while excluding casual babysitting, dog walking and short incidental work. Hiring entities would be required to pay at least minimum hourly wage and overtime, allow uninterrupted meal and rest breaks, permit domestic workers to cook and eat their own food with reasonable restrictions, maintain written records and provide written terms and advance notice of termination (two weeks generally, four weeks for live‑in workers). The substitute would create civil penalties enforceable by the Department of Labor & Industries and preserve a private right of action. It also would remove some exemptions in the minimum wage act that currently exclude certain live‑in domestic workers, and would require L&I to convene a work group to investigate industrial insurance access for domestic workers.

Representative Monica Stonier, prime sponsor, said domestic workers are often isolated and left out of basic workplace protections. “This bill would provide some protections for domestic workers who are often working in very isolated environments without the protections that you might have in a more traditional workplace,” Representative Monica Stonier said.

Multiple domestic workers offered firsthand testimony in support. Laura Gonzalez, who said she has worked as a nanny in Seattle for more than 20 years, described working without contracts, paid holidays or sick pay for many years and said Seattle’s local standards revealed the rights many workers lack elsewhere. Lilia Salmeron, who said she is a nine‑year domestic worker and was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2023, described chemotherapy appointments and the need for paid time off to cover medical care and basic costs. Veronica Sanchez, a house cleaner who said most of her jobs are outside Seattle city limits, told the committee she currently lacks paid sick days in many of the locations where she works and urged statewide coverage.

Worker advocates, including Danielle Alvarado of Fair Work Center, said the bill addresses recurring problems such as wage theft, lack of written terms and intimidation. “Workers are experiencing wage theft, intimidation, and sickness right now with no clear recourse,” Alvarado said.

Several witnesses raised issues for the committee to consider. Rachel Block, a Seattle host of au pairs, asked that au pairs on J‑1 visas be excluded from the substitute’s minimum‑wage provisions because host families provide room and board and federal regulations govern the J‑1 au pair program. Ingrid Chapman, a former employer of a nanny, said a required contract provided clarity and mutual respect in her household and urged support for the broader bill. Doris Henricks, a former au pair and nanny, urged the committee to include au pairs in fundamental workplace protections, saying the federal program does not eliminate risks of unpaid wages or denial of time off.

Representatives of faith and employer groups also testified. Jean Welchel with the Washington State Catholic Conference voiced support citing human dignity. The Washington Retail Association did not testify on this bill specifically in this portion of the transcript but appeared elsewhere to comment on documentation standards for leave policies.

The committee closed the public hearing on House Bill 15 61 during the Feb. 18 session. No committee vote on the bill was recorded in the provided transcript.

Clarifying details recorded in the staff briefing include required written terms of employment, specified notice periods before termination, severance where notice requirements are not met, enforceable anti‑retaliation protections, and L&I’s convening of a work group on industrial insurance access for domestic workers.","The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 heard House Bill 15 61, a proposed substitute that would extend minimum workplace standards — including written contracts, wage and overtime rules, meal and rest breaks, and notice before termination — to domestic workers statewide.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6325509,"Committee hears bill to let workers use paid sick leave for immigration proceedings",1944,26133,1970605,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49&start=26&end=1970","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2333134-422d8ec813c89384010a819ddf79bf49/thumbnail_26133.jpg","/articles/6325509/Washington/Committee-hears-bill-to-let-workers-use-paid-sick-leave-for-immigration-proceedings","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6325509-b9e644fd831759655489b59c83a80be9/orig.mp4?Expires=1771139919&Signature=DcTQS7YZYMojXaasNuP3ngFXSZwhfQ~KsXHXNK3Gu607FVFNmUyEWAcalOOW1jJd5pmjJHvvK3i3YXQFP3SqxzNgY6iMrzEpU4P3ALllqgurFRLh7F60oCYi1-QF7g6foKxLrxk9MJ8~hnLEC7mZOPdWbUOwraKiKrAcMeBajwfsaW3lui2fD0YLS1qMRA2oxZW~olnZl8kgj1mo0Ig~wXS74hzBPcU2yi6KLeOvmuqPFCJ4esciVhyeN1xvAoYXHmH3El5cDUBgdwy6YDY16kl3f8jGsV4cQOYabGKq~B8a-5keo2kJwMWY5-tIt7aVV3rxb4ZUWndWEVVoYSkeJg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 took testimony on House Bill 18 75, which would allow workers to use accrued paid sick leave for absences related to the worker’s or a family member’s judicial or administrative immigration proceeding.

Ben McCarthy, staff to the committee, told members that current state paid sick leave law requires employers to provide at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked and allows employers to request verification only if an absence lasts more than three days. “This bill would allow workers to use their paid sick leave to cover absences relating to the worker or the worker’s family member’s involvement in a judicial or administrative immigration proceeding,” McCarthy said. He said employers or transportation network companies may accept a written statement from the worker, an advocate, attorney or member of the clergy as verification when an absence exceeds three days.

Representative Osman Saladin, prime sponsor, told the committee the change is intended to reduce the risk that immigrant workers will lose jobs or income while attending time‑consuming proceedings. “Many residents across our state face complex immigration proceedings that require their time,” said Representative Osman Saladin, who represents the 48th Legislative District, which he identified as including Bellevue, Redmond and Kirkland. He said 43% of residents in his district are immigrants and that proceedings can span multiple appointments or hearings.

Witnesses representing legal and worker organizations supported the bill. Malu Chavez, executive director of the Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, said missing a hearing can lead to an order of removal. “For community members, it’s important that they attend their hearings because if they miss, they are ordered deported,” Chavez said. Danielle Alvarado, executive director of Fair Work Center, said the bill adds a clearly authorized use of already‑accrued time and would reduce employer confusion and intimidation about when leave may be taken. Guillermo Zazueta, lead field organizer for 1 America, said the change is a simple addition to existing authorized uses in state law and urged a due‑pass recommendation.

The Washington Retail Association suggested two amendments: accounting for existing legal‑assistance programs and adding objective documentation standards to support leave claims. Rose Gunderson of the association said there are multiple legal‑aid programs in the state and that objective documentation would help ensure leave is used appropriately.

The committee suspended the hearing for an executive session to vote on other bills and later reopened HB 18 75 for testimony from the panel. No committee vote on HB 18 75 was recorded in the transcript.

Clarifying details from the staff briefing indicate an employer may request verification only when an absence lasts more than three days, and that accepted verification may include a written statement from the worker, an advocate, attorney or clergy member. The bill, as described in briefing, explicitly applies to workers and transportation network company drivers in the same framework as the state paid sick leave law.

The committee did not take a formal committee vote on House Bill 18 75 during the portion of the meeting in the provided transcript.","The Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Feb. 18, 2025 took testimony on House Bill 18 75, which would allow workers to use accrued paid sick leave for absences related to the worker’s or a family member’s judicial or administrative immigration proceeding.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Committee reports four labor bills out of committee with due‑pass recommendations

Domestic Workers Bill of Rights draws testimony calling for statewide protections

Committee hears bill to let workers use paid sick leave for immigration proceedings